Tifa's Final Fantasy VII
by MissTi77
Summary: Can one ever let go of a childhood love? Can you learn to love another for what he is and more? Join Tifa as she journey's with Cloud, Barrett and the others on the adventure to stop the Planet from destruction. A Tifatine love struggle. -Hiatus-
1. Seventh Heaven

Thank you for taking the time to read. All reviews welcome.  
~I do not own FF VII... I only own the little here and there i made up~

A handsome blonde stands bravely on top the train, he grabs the hilt of a large sword sheathed onto his back and draws the blade placing the flat against his forehead. He then swings his sword around over his head before preparing to assault the Mako Reactor... All in order to save the planet.-My name is Cloud Strife, SOLIDER First-Class-

At least... that is how I envisioned it...

Tifa Lockhart slid a beer across the counter; a patron of the bar took it raising it as thanks. Tifa smiled as she gave back a small wave and starts preparing another drink.

"Hey Teef! How about another 7th Heaven Special" a drunken man grinned to her.

"I'm closing your tab." She sighed. "Come back with yesterday's dues and I will give you one on the house." She smiled sweetly to the patron soon after.

"Teef you are so nice." the drunken man hiccupped and stumbled out of the bar.

"Auntie Tifa, Auntie Tifa!" A small girl ran downstairs a big smile on her face.

"Marlene, you know how late it is? You should be in bed Hun" Tifa smiled moving to hug the small girl.

"But Tifa did you hear that sound a while back?" she whispered quietly. Being under the plate of Midgar, you could hear the loud explosion of the reactor being blown up.

"I sure did... now you know what that means right? That means your papa is going to be on his way home. Are you sure you want to stay up?"

Marlene giggled and nodded, "Yup yup!"

"Aw alright" Tifa laughed some and stood up stretching. Marlene helped Tifa around the bar and soon the giant man known as Barrett burst through the saloon like doors his machine gun arm warming up to fire rounds.

"Oh no no no! Everyone out now we are closed!" Tifa quickly shooed out her customers and Barrett finished chasing them out firing several rounds outside.

Briggs, Wedge, and Jessie soon entered. Tifa smiled to herself as she placed a hidden plate of food from behind the bar onto a table. Of course Briggs helped himself to the drinks, Wedge to the food, and Jessie begun to fiddle around with her electronics. Tifa then walked out of her bar to apologize to her customers. Seeing their upset faces while Barrett ranting guarding the porch stairs embarrassed her. "I'm sorry, please come again!" She bowed in apology.

Tifa walked back into her bar and stopped to fix her hair turning around just as her childhood friend Cloud walked in. She smiled and let out a breath of relief. Not a scratch on him, those golden locks were darkened from dirt and his face was smudged with some black. All the dirt and grime from today's mission just made his eyes pop even more.

Marlene sprinted up thinking that the next person in would be her father, "Papa!"

Upon site of Cloud she blushed red in embarrassment and quickly hid behind Tifa, holding onto the edge of her skirt. Tifa lets out a small laugh at the child "Marlene, Aren't you going to say anything to Cloud?"

Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Tifa smiled at her childhood friend. "Welcome home Cloud. It looks like everything went well. Did you fight with Barrett?"

Cloud smiles at Tifa, "Not this time... However he sure was trying to pick a fight"

"Hmmm" Tifa narrows her eyes some but then shakes her head in her own disbelief, "You've grown up... When you were little you use to get into fights so often."

"Did I really?" Cloud thinks back. "I don't think I did..."

Tifa laughed some and soon noticed a small pink flower. Fully bloomed and fresh like it was just picked. "Flowers? How nice... You almost never see them here in the slums. But a flower for me? Oh Cloud, you shouldn't have" Tifa blushed some with a giggle. Marlene held tighter to Tifa's skirt which caught Cloud's attention.

Cloud smiled sheepishly laughing at Tifa and knelt down to offer it to Marlene.

Tifa smiled down at the small girl and with a silent sigh she moved back behind the bar to clean. She watched as Barrett came crashing in picking up his little girl. Oh how Tifa was ready for a family of her own to hold and love. To see smiles on little one's faces at the sight of her. To care and hold and show them the love of a family. Sure she had Marlene while her father was on missions; nothing however beat having your own.

She snapped out of her dazed thinking when she heard the grinding sound of the Pinball passage sink down to the basement. Briggs, Wedge, and Jessie all jumped down after Barrett. Feeling her heart tighten some at the sight of Cloud moving to follow, she called out.

"Hey Cloud... Come sit." Tifa was nervous, Cloud had grown handsome since she last saw him, and they were just small children back then. His SOLIDER uniform top was tight around his muscles. He had gotten so tall over the last few years. Well, Tifa was not quite tall herself at 5 feet 4 she considered herself average. She thought fast of what to say as he sat down. Looking around she let go of the breath she held, "So you want something to drink?" Why was she so nervous around him?

"Sure... Give me something hard" Cloud scratched his neck.

Tifa gave him a shot of an old whiskey, watching him throw back the golden liquid she smiled softly, "I am so relieved that you made it back safe.

"Huh? What's with you all of a sudden... That job wasn't even tough."

"I... I guess not," Tifa eyed the blonde suspiciously, "You were in SOLIDER..."

"Eh... once I get that money I'm outta here" Cloud got up from his seat shifting the glass over to Tifa.

"Cloud…" Tifa felt a sting from his words, her friend before her... Things just were not right, "Are you feeling well?"

Taken back some he looked back confused. "Yeah, why?"

"No reason... Perhaps you should get yourself some good rest. Head on downstairs, I am sure Barrett would like to debrief you."

She watched Cloud hit the nearby pinball machine going down to the basement. Resting her elbows on the bar she looked to the empty whiskey glass and sighed. "How am I suppose to tell him." the pang in her heart felt heavier everyday she looked to Cloud. "I guess I should just be happy that I have found him again" Cleaning up the bar she couldn't help but touch the glass Cloud used, her heart beat heavily. "Do I love him?"

Tifa heard the pinball machine rumbling below, someone was coming up.

Cloud comes up and makes his way out of the bar, 'W-wait, I just found him, why is he leaving now?' moving around the bar counter she called out to him.

"Cloud wait a minute! Where are you- I thought you were going to join us?"

"I am sorry Tifa" Cloud looked somewhat angry.

"Cloud, the planet is dying... We have to do something about it" She pleaded.

"Then let AVALANCE do something about it. I don't have any attachment to any of this" He turned to face her.

"So... you are really leaving? You are just going to ignore your childhood friend?" Tifa crossed her arms tilting her head some.

After a heavy sigh Cloud seems to loosen up.

My poor Cloud… Tifa smiled thinking back, "You forgot about your promise too... didn't you?"

"Promise?" Cloud looked confused.

"So you did forget..." Tifa smiled even more moving closer to Cloud, "All those nights ago by the well?"

Cloud lifted his head up closing his eyes, "Yeah... I remember now. It was getting cold and I thought you would never come."

"I know I apologized for that" Tifa laughed some. "But you promised me that when you get really famous, and if I was ever in a bind, that you would come and rescue me."

Cloud sighs, "I'm not a hero and I'm not famous... I can't keep that promise.

Tifa's eyes looked away from Clouds... She just didn't have the heart to tell him... "But you got your childhood dream, you joined SOLIDER. So you have got to keep the promise."

Cloud was about to reach out to Tifa, to comfort her in some way, when the loud deep voice rang out.

"Wait a sec Mr. Big-time-SOILDER!" Barrett came up from the basement. "A promise is a promise... Here's your damn gil!" he tossed the blonde a bag of money.

"You call this my pay?" Cloud smirked as he weighed the bag in his hand.

Tifa caught the smirk to her direction. "Huh? So then you-"

"You have another mission lined up? I will do it for double this"

"What!" Barrett nearly fell over.

"Barrett it's alright, we need the help" Tifa whispered to her friend.

"But... That money... it's for Marlene's schoolin" he whispered back. The gun-armed wielding man looked to Cloud, "2000 gil... And that's it!"

Tifa smiled to Cloud, "Thanks Cloud..."

Cloud smiled and nodded to Tifa. "So I got pretty messed up back there… Do you mind?" Cloud scratched his head some.

"Oh! No, not at all." Tifa led the way up the stairs, from a hall closet she pulled out a towel and fresh clothes. "These might be a bit big on you, but once I wash your uniform these will have to do." She turned to see Cloud right before her. Like a young school teen Tifa reddened in the face as she handed the folded pile to him.

"Thanks Teef, I will leave these on the bar counter." Cloud moved past her and into the bath room.

Tifa smiled and made her way into Marlene's room, Barrett would most likely tuck the small girl in when she tires out. Continuing she entered her room she fell back onto her bed. Her long locks fanning out the best they could while tied at the end. Tifa took in a deep breath and wrapped her arms around herself in an embrace. This was fate; it was destiny that had brought them back together.


	2. Sector 5 Reactor

Thank you FostersB- It will take a while to get to some Tifa/Vincent, but i hope i wont disappoint.

I do not own Final Fantasy VII..I only own the very small bits and pieces. Enjoy!

The next morning Tifa got up early. Zipping up her skirt and ensuring the laces on her boots were tight she took a deep breath. Clouds uniform was cleaned and ready for him. Her leather gloves were oiled and ready for combat, her hair brushed and tied, and most important, she had her cup of coffee. Dark, 4 sugars.

This time she would go with Barrett and Cloud to the 5th reactor. A soft smile graced her lips, to be next to Cloud just make her heart beat faster.

Finishing her coffee she decided to get Marlene up. Barrett's daughter would be watching the bar while she was gone. She woke the small girl and showed her how to tend the bar and given the phone number to the weapon store clerk in case there were to be any trouble. "Be good now Marlene and don't be afraid to call Mr. Zidane now."

"No prob Auntie Tifa" she moved behind the bar and begun to prep for today's patrons.

Tifa smiled and met up with Barrett in front of the bar. Cloud soon joined fixing his hair some with a yawn.

"I will be coming this time" She smiled at Cloud presenting him with his SOLIDER uniform, all cleaned and ironed.

After a quick breakfast and change, Barrett took the blonde and pulled him aside to discuss materia.

Tifa giggled some at the action, the gun-armed man was trying to adapt to using different resources to fight for the planet... Even if that resource was from the planet. It wouldn't do any harm, however he never believed in using the crystallized lifeforce.

Briggs, Wedge, and Jessie had taken off ahead of them, but not before Jessie handed them their fake ID's. Tifa looked to hers, Ms Arlington, Tempest M, age... 26. Tifa frowned at her ID; did she really look so old?

"Hey Teef! We are leaving!" Barrett and Cloud left the bar.

Tifa pocketed her ID and took off after them. They barely made it onto the train after gathering supplies. Her and Cloud had to hold Barrett back from pummeling a Shinra worker on board. With an hour train ride in front of them Tifa made her way to the rear car's control panel. Cloud moved up to look at the forward car.

Feeling nervous she turned around to face her friend. "Cloud, do you want to look at this with me? It's the train systems pathway and has other pretty neat information."

Cloud moved close to Tifa, very close to where they nearly touched. A light blush touched her cheeks; she looked back to the monitor then to Cloud.

"Jessie showed me this yesterday... We should be approaching a checkpoint-"

The alarm suddenly went off. The train flashed red and made a high pitch alarm sound forcing Tifa and the others to cover their ears in shock of the noise.

"Isn't the security checkpoint supposed to be further down?" Tifa looked over to Barrett

Jessie soon runs into the car from the other, "Small problem, we need to get to the front of the train before it locks down, come on!"

Cloud quickly moves ahead as Tifa and Barrett follow behind. They dodge passengers who looked around alarmed as they ran forward. Cloud almost stumbled upon the nearly naked men lying on the train floor. Quickly reaching the first car Tifa looked over to a disguised Jessie who looked down with disappointment.

"I tried to make his ID special... I guess it didn't work" she gave a depressed sigh.

"Hey chin up, we are not that far from the drop zone" Tifa smiled to her friend.

"Get ready, we have to jump!" Barrett opened the train's door.

"J-jump? Now while moving so fast?" Tifa looked shocked moving a loose strand of hair from her face.

"It's alright Tifa, we will be right behind you" Cloud assured.

Feeling more confident, Tifa jumped off the train rolling on the hard pavement. Scratched and bruised up, she cast Cure on herself and soon moved to Cloud and Barrett doing the same.

"Where are the others?" She looked for the mischievous three.

"They will go down further then abandon the train. Join up with us later... Let's move out!" Barrett briefly checked his arm and took off, away from the train tracks.

They jogged a few short meters before reaching their destination. Cloud opened a nearby hatch and peered inside.

"Pretty dark in there..." he tossed a rock inside hearing it land after a small period.

"Aw man, I don't like the looks of this… Can't see where we are going." Barrett peered into the hole from behind Cloud.

"It's pretty deep; I don't think we will be able to climb back out from down there." Cloud felt around for anything to hold onto. However it was a vent shaft. Not even large enough rivets to grasp.

"Well… then I guess we will have to find another way out" Tifa held the hatch open for Cloud to go in first.

Cloud smiled to Tifa and jumped in, followed by a very doubtful Barrett. Tifa was last to go; landing softly, she crouched down and crawled through the rest of the vent before meeting back with Barrett and Cloud.

Tifa followed the two men, they seemed to know exactly where the reactor was, and being how this one looked like the other they had blown up.

They had reached the core of the reactor. Cloud led the way when he suddenly collapsed.

"Cloud!" Tifa and Barrett ran over. "Cloud, what happened? Are you alright?" Tifa turned him over resting his head on her lap. His face looked so pained, as if he was struggling with something inside.

"What the hell just happened?" Barrett knelt down.

"He just... collapsed. Let me see if this will work." Tifa was ready to use her cure materia when Cloud opened his eyes.

"Tifa..." He spoke sorrowful.

Tifa had let Cloud get up, "Are you alright?"

"Damn man... you need to get a hold of yourself" Barrett sighed in relief.

"I'm fine... let's... let's forget it and continue." Cloud moved to set the bomb.

Tifa felt nervous, no alarms had gone off. Cloud wouldn't ever betray them despite what Barrett was telling her.

-'He's a SOLIDER. Prolly wants everyone's hands in the cookie jar before they bust us all up. Which is why you shouldn't go'

'Barrett, he would never, ever do something like that. We can trust him'-

Tifa shook the memories out of her head. Never would she suspect Cloud of betrayal.

The bomb was set, 20 minutes and it would blow. They made their way past some security systems and locks. They reached the final catwalk area where they met up with a large number of Shinra soldiers armed and ready to take them.

"Shit! What the hell is going on?" Barrett raised his gun arm and took aim.

"A trap" Cloud drew his sword.

Tifa raised her fists ready to fight alongside her friends when the clacking of shoes came up slowly from behind them.

"Presi... President Shinra?" Barrett looked back in shock.

"The president? Why... Why is he here?" Tifa kept her attention to the soldiers in front of her. Cloud however relaxed some and turned to face the heavy set balding man.

"Hmmm... Who do we have here... You must be that group... Abomination?"

"AVALANCE! And don't you forget it!" Barrett yelled back

"Long time, no see, President Shinra" Cloud spoke out

"Hm? Oh... you. You were the SOLIDER who quit and joined this pathetic group... I can tell you have been exposed to Mako from the glow in your eyes... Traitor, what was your name?" Tifa winced some, if the president didn't...

"Cloud" he answered

"Forgive me for asking, but I can't be expected to remember each one of your names... Unless of course you became another Sephiroth." The president placed a hand on his chin remembering, "Yes Sephiroth, he was brilliant. Perhaps too brilliant."

"Sephiroth?" Cloud questioned.

Barrett ran up nearly pushing Cloud over the railing.

"Don't give a damn 'bout none of that! This place goin' up with a big bang! Serves ya right!"

"Such a waste to use this on vermin like you." the president pressed a button from his cell.

"Vermin! Who the hell you calling vermin when you killing the planet! If I'm vermin that makes you king vermin!"

"Barrett" Tifa tried to calm her friend down; name calling was not going to get them anywhere.

"I grow tired of this...Now if you excuse me... I have a dinner I must attend" a helicopter swooped down picking up the president. The Shinra soldiers had retreated from what Tifa saw.

"Dinner? Don't you leave here coward! I haven't even started with you!" Barrett aimed his gun at the transport.

Tifa turned her head to the hall they were retreating to; she could hear a mechanical whirling noise.

"Barrett? Cloud?"

Barrett moved next to Tifa as Cloud ran for the president.

"Enjoy your new playmate..." the president called out as he took off.

Tifa and Barrett dove down nearly being hit by a large machine. On a gyro ball, the machine stood over 15 feet high. Wielding a gun arm and spikes along the gyro he looked menacing.

The Airbuster Techno-Solider approached Tifa and Barrett, cutting Cloud off. Barrett begun to fire off his arm.

"Cloud?" Tifa yelled out. There wasn't much room to run away from flying bullets.

Cloud groaned some as he redirected his attention from the president to the large robot attacking his friends. Slashing at the machines back, the Air-buster begun to turn, its attention directed now on Cloud.

The blonde used his large sword to block the array of bullets flying at him.

'It must be a counter the robot has' Tifa ran forward and started on the joints of the machine. A machine that couldn't move couldn't attack. As she ran up the machine spun around, guns on its shoulders purred, warming up to fire multiple rounds.

"Teef! Get outta there!" Barrett yelled.

Tifa jumped back and dug into her pocket for some attacking materia. Tifa hoped that Cloud was ok on the other side. She could see the machine attacking and the sharp sound of metal scratching.

Armed now with a lighting materia she held out her hands sending a series of sparks into the direction of Airbuster.

The attack hit hard, and the Techno-Solider begun to smoke.

Barrett looked to Airbuster. "I don't think it can move anymore... Let's finish this thing off!" he raised his arm sending a volley of bullets.

Tifa nodded as she prepared to use the materia again. There was an electrical buzz coming from Airbuster. Barrett quickly tackled Tifa down as the machine blew up, creating a hole in the catwalk.

Tifa moved a piece of scrap metal from her hair and stood to find Cloud.

He was nowhere in sight. She moved closer to the edge of the catwalk to find cloud hanging by one arm.

"Not good... that bomb is set to go off soon!" Barrett checked the time.

"Barrett! Cloud he needs our help!" Tifa called back.

Barrett got up and moved next to her, looking around Barrett tried to find a way to get to the hanging blonde.

"We need to do something!" Tifa had tried to reach out, however the distance was too great.

"We can't do a damn thing from here" Barrett growled some frustrated

"Cloud, please... please hang on! I'm not going to let you fall to your death. There is still so much I want to tell you... Need to tell you" Tifa's eyes begun to water.

"Tifa... it's alright" Cloud strained to try and pull himself up.

"Hey Cloud... Are you sure you going to be alwright?" Barrett moved Tifa to stand.

"That bomb is about to blow! Take Tifa and get out of here!" Cloud yelled

"... Alwright, sorry to leave you here" Barrett sighed.

"This isn't the end, I am not going to die just get out of here" Cloud continued to try and pull himself up.

"Alright then later!" Barrett begins to drag Tifa off. Tifa struggled to get back to Cloud however the bomb explodes, nearly sending the two over the catwalk. Tifa's eyes grow wide as she spots Cloud from over the railing falling.

"Cloud!" She screams.

Barrett groans picking the woman up and carrying her to a safer area.

Tears stream down Tifa's eyes. This just couldn't be the end for her and Cloud, he... he just had to make it.

They reached the exit to the reactor; Barrett set Tifa down and placed a hand on her shoulder. "He's going to be Alright. We need to get back with Briggs, Wedge and Jessie and plan our next action."

Tifa nodded feeling suddenly empty and light, wiping her face clean of the tears she split up with Barrett. She would board the train, and meet back with him at her bar.

As she was making her way through Midgar's City, she couldn't help but suddenly see Barrett squeezing the life from a Shinra worker.


	3. Don Corneo

No critiques? That's fine. I enjoy writing and I hope to gain some fans later… I know some events I am excluding however I feel that some things just are not that important to mention. While other events need to be exaggerated. I appreciate you reading and hope you stop back again soon!

I don't own anything I swear! I am a fan writing a fan fiction. *Smiles*

Enjoy

~Miss Ti

"Barrett… Who is Don Corneo?" Tifa asked as they left the train station heading back to the bar.

"Never mind… You don't want to get anywhere near that waste of human life Tifa. He is someone that you def' don't want to be near." Barrett moved into Tifa's bar and picked up his little girl.

"But…What's going on? Why would any of this matter?" Tifa moved around picking up several glasses from a table.

"… He apparently gave out some dirt on me to Shinra… That's how they knew what we would be hitting up."

"You mean… this could have been avoided… Cloud could have been saved?" Tifa's eyes begun to water.

"Hey Tifa… I know you are upset, best thing we can do is just keep riding on. We need to fight for the planet" Barrett took the woman into an embrace. "You just get yourself some good rest alright?"

Tifa nodded and made her way upstairs into her room. She sat on the edge of her bed and sighed, all she could think about was this Don person and Cloud.

"I need to find out more… I need to make sure that no one else will suffer." She got up off the bed and moved to her closet. From what she heard from Briggs and Jessie, Don was a sector 6 slum sleezeball. They also warned her never to even be in the same sector as him.

"If he is the type that I think he is…" Tifa pulled out a strapless blue cocktail dress. "I never would think to wear this, however I must find out what else he knows." Tifa removed her heavy boots and clothing, putting on the dress she then walked to a cabinet and took out a pair of stilettos to match. "Just some make-up now…" Tifa moved to her vanity and perfected her look. She viewed the stranger in the mirror and removed her hair tie allowing her long tresses to be free. Quickly packing her fighting uniform in a small pack she gave herself one last glance. The look didn't feel right to her, but there was no going back.

She could hear Barrett downstairs talking with the others, she knew she would be stopped if she walked out the front door; instead she opened her bedroom window and gracefully slipped out. Landing hard she winced and shook out her ankle. "Note for my memory, never jump out a 2 story house with heels"

Tifa begun her walk down the road, everyone had their eyes set on her. Tifa felt confident however slightly uncomfortable as she moved through the sector 7 slums. A chocobo carriage was stationed by the reactor pillar. The man glancing over to her tipped a patched up hat to her direction.

"Where is a fancy lady like you going at a time like this?" He spoke out.

"Oh… Well… I am off to sector 6."

"6? Well you must be going to be a new bee girl" he grinned.

"Ah… bee girl?" Tifa inquired.

"All of the beautiful girls that go to sector 6 become the Don's girls. They work at the Honeybee"

"I see… Yes then that is where I will be going." Tifa blushed feeling now very uncomfortable.

"I could give you a ride if you like; your feet don't look to well in those shoes."

"T-thank you, I would like that" She smiled tucking some hair behind her ear.

Tifa climbed aboard with the help of the carriage driver and they were soon off. Tifa made her way to the back of the cart and leaned onto the railing gazing off. She couldn't help but think of what to say or do to get the information from Don. She winced at the ill feeling in her stomach as she left sector 7. Peeking through her bangs she could have swore she saw the spiky blonde hair of Cloud… but there was no way he could have survived that kind of fall. It was just a cute couple sitting on top of a slide.

The chocobo carriage stopped by the Honeybee. Tifa was helped off and quickly surrounded by men wishing to take her out. She squeezed through to meet up with a well dressed up red haired man. He grinned looking at her from head to toe.

"Well aren't you a cutie… You wish to be a honeybee?" He leaned in getting a closer look at Tifa.

Tifa swallowed hard, "Ah, why yes." She finally spoke out.

"Well hon every girl needs to be properly evaluated… if you would follow me, I can show you to the Don's place."

"T-thank you" Tifa bowed slightly following.

As she walked on the men around the Honeybee didn't even have the decency to avert their eyes from her… well her body.

The feeling in her stomach was heavier than she could imagine. She would do anything to ensure that AVALANCE would be safe… The Don was looking for a bride; she needed to be the girl to go with him… She must get the information no matter what. Before could even think of a proper plan however, Tifa was soon at the place. Entering the double doors she found herself somewhat cowardly. She could run away, go back to her bar and never think of this again.

"Miss, we are not yet ready… if you could wait here, I will be with you shortly" the red haired man spoke. He moved behind a counter into what Tifa suspected to be an office area.

"This is my chance…" Tifa gathered all her nerve and moved around Don's place, trying to open any door. She had to find something that would compromise the Don into revealing information. Tifa moved her way upstairs and tried two more doors before reaching the last door in the room. Lucky to find it unlocked, she descended a long set of stairs and came upon a strange room that held chains, tables, and other strange items that would be used for sexual torture.

"Oh Gaia… what the hell does this pig do to women?" Tifa covered her mouth and made her way further into the room. Her eyes lingered on the different items; she shuddered in thought of what would come to her if she wasn't careful. Moving to a large coffin like item she decided to hide her pack behind it. Tifa wanted to leave even more than she wanted to before, she turned hearing someone approach, two sets of footsteps descended the stairs. Tifa was about to go hide when she recognized the sound of heels clacking.

"Maybe she is down here?" A woman's voice spoke softly, however echoed through the hall.

Tifa gathered herself and watched as two women walked into the room. The first was a long haired brunet with a long red thin strapped dress that shimmered when she stepped. She carried with her a pink shall that modestly covered her bare shoulders. Her eyes were an emerald green and seemed to draw you in. Her face was gentle with a sophisticated sharpness to it. The second woman seemed shy and timid; her blonde hair was held in low pigtails. Her dressed reminded Tifa of a kimono, covering nearly all of her skin and with a high collar.

'Oh man… these are the other girls I need to compete with? The make me look easy' Tifa sighed to herself.

"Tifa?" The woman in red spoke.

"Ah… Do I know you?"

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Aeris" She smiled sweetly taking both of my hands into hers, "Cloud has told me a lot about you"

"Cloud? Cloud is alive!

Aeris giggled some, "Of course, he is alright. Isn't that right Cloud?" Aeris turned some to the other woman.

Tifa suddenly quieted looking past Aeris. "Cloud?"

The blonde woman moved up and sighed heavily; Tifa bent some to look at the 'woman's' face and saw the glowing Mako eyes of her childhood friend. Tifa stumbled back her face as red as Clouds. "Oh Cloud! Why are you dressed like that? And what are you doing here? Forget all that what happened to you after the fall? Are you hurt?" Tifa moved looking Cloud over.

Cloud groaned some and stopped Tifa grabbing her wrists and looking to her eyes.

"Hey hold on a sec Teef. I am dressed like this…. Because there was no other way they would let me in… I had to disguise myself as a woman. Aeris took care of me after I fell. I wasn't seriously hurt, just a few scratches."

Tifa felt her eyes water. As soon as Cloud let go she jumped into his arms for an embrace. "I was so worried."

"Hey, it's alright. I am here" Cloud pulled Tifa away and smiled to her, however that quickly ended. "Can you tell me what the hell are you doing in a place like this?"

"Ah... um." Tifa reddened, she glanced over at Aeris, should couldn't say she was part of AVALANCE, sure she was a friend of Cloud, however that's where it ended.

Aeris cleared her throat some, "I'll just go over here and plug my ears" Aeris moved to do so. "Please go on with your conversation"

"Cloud, I am so glad you are ok" Tifa carefully wiped a tear from her eye so she wouldn't smudge her makeup.

"Thanks, now tell me what happened, what's going on?"

"After the explosion, Barrett caught a Shinra worker and squeezed some information from him."

"That is why you are here? They mention Don Corneo?"

"Yes… Barrett was against me going; however, I couldn't just let it rest." Tifa felt her confidence come back. With Cloud there she could accomplish anything.

"You wanted to ask Don, get the story straight from the source."

Tifa nodded, "So here I am, but there is a small problem… There will be three girls that will be up for his choosing. I need to make sure that I am that girl so I can get the information from Don"

"Sorry but I kind of overheard" Aeris unplugged her ears and moved over to Tifa and Cloud. "If you know these other two girls then it shouldn't be a problem right?"

"I guess so…" Tifa pondered some.

"Well we have two right here" Aeris smiled.

"Aeris, I can't get you involved" Cloud spoke out.

Tifa felt a pang inside her chest. Aeris noticed and huffed some, "So it is alright for Tifa to be in danger?"

Cloud looked to Tifa and shook his head, "No I don't want Tifa in danger either but-"

"Aeris I couldn't ask this of you" Tifa smiled some feeling a bit better.

"I grew up in the slums, I am use to danger."

"Thank you Aeris." Tifa smiled sweetly at her new friend.

"Hey!"

The red haired business man was at the bottom of the stairs looking a bit frazzled. "I thought I told you ladies not to wander around… Come on it is time, the Don is waiting" he turned moving back up the stairs mumbling something about women nowadays. "Come on hurry up!"

"I am guessing the third woman is me?" Cloud let out a sigh readjusting his kimono sash.

Aeris giggled some along with Tifa.

"You know Cloud if you look closely, you don't look so bad" Tifa beamed a smile, she wondered what Barrett would say if he ever saw Cloud dressed like a girl, however her thoughts were distracted with the current situation.

"We need to get going or they will get suspicious" Aeris took Tifa's hand and led pulling her along. Cloud followed behind.

Moving back upstairs, they were escorted through the second floors double doors into the Don's office. Tifa and Aeris cringed at the site of the Don. He wore gaudy looking clothing and jewels. He was an overweight man sporting a black pencil thin mustache and a sick blonde Mohawk. He nearly leapt out of his golden colored seat to get a better view of the beauties in front of him.

"Alright ladies, line up" The Don's left hand man Kotch spoke.

Cloud stood in the middle. Tifa took a steady breath. She wanted to reach for Clouds hand.

"Wowza, such lovely ladies before me!" The Don smiled sporting a gold capped tooth. "Now let's see"

Rising from his seat he moved over to get a better look at the three. Tifa could hear Aeris stifle a cough; the Don had strong cologne on.

"Should I choose this lady in red?" The Don looked around Aeris, viewing her from all angles.

"Or this one?" he moved skipping Cloud, Tifa held her breath. She could feel the Don's eyes on her chest.

"Or this one?" he stepped in front of Cloud. Cloud quickly averted his gaze. "Oh shy little mink you are" the Don turned and brought a hand to his chin. "I have made my decision! My choice for tonight is… This slender little girl!" he pointed to Aeris

Tifa released the breath she held.

"You have such great taste Don" Aeris forced a smile.

"You can have the other ones" Don spoke to his lackeys as he and Aeris moved to a back room. Tifa was led back down the 'torture' room while Cloud was brought someplace else.

Tifa could hear Kotch lock the door behind him. Making her way down the stairs quickly Tifa kicked off her shoes and quickly readied to attack.

"Now cutie… What shall we do first?" Kotch moved closer to Tifa.

"We are not going to do anything." Tifa built up the courage to stand her ground. Cloud would be waiting for her and Aeris needed help from that perverted bastard. Kotch seemed to be too dazed to see what Tifa was doing. She decided to act fast; running to the man she performed her beat rush series of punches and finished with a dolphin kick. Kotch landed onto the torture table knocked out. Tifa quickly moved to the coffin device and squeezed out her bag containing her fighting clothes. Slipping off the dress and donning her skirt, tee and boots, she was ready to go. Tifa ran up the stairs and kicked the door down. Fixing her hair she noticed Cloud dressed in his uniform and ready to attack the Don.

"Cloud" Tifa smiled in relief

"Tifa, are you alright?"

"Of course! You know not to take me lightly" Tifa smirked throwing a few punches into the air.

"Come on we gotta help Aeris!" Cloud ran through the door with the long haired brunette following.

They both entered the back room just as Don was about to pounce on Aeris.

"Cloud!" Aeris moved to his side.

"Wha? What the hell? Who are you?" Don sat back against the headboard of the bed in the room.

"We're asking the questions now!" Tifa moved to get closer to interrogate the Don, "What did your assistance find out about Barrett? Talk! If you don't tell us" Tifa grinned wickedly as Cloud stepped up. Taking out his Buster Sword he stepped onto the bed, "I'll chop 'them' off"

"No! Not that! I'll tell you everything!" The Don squirmed guarding his pride. "I made them find out where the man with the gun-arm was. But that is what I was ordered to do."

"By who!" Tifa yelled, she was getting pretty frustrated now watching this man act like a stubborn chocobo.

"No! If I told you that I would be killed" Sweat started to bead from Don's forehead.

"Talk if you don't" Tifa glanced over at Aeris.

"I will rip 'them' off!" Aeris's eyes burned with rage. She took her place besides Cloud also stepping on the bed ready to fight.

Don screamed out rocking on the bed. "Waaaah-! It was Heidgger of Shinra!"

"The head of public safety maintenance?" Cloud looked confused.

"Did you say Shinra? What are they up to! Talk! If you don't tell us" Tifa cracked her knuckles. "I'll smash 'them'!"

Don paled, "You're serious, aren't you? I-I'm not fooling around either you know. Shinra's trying to crush a small rebel group called AVALANCHE, and want to infiltrate their hideout." As the Don talked, it was Tifa's turn to pale some. "And they're really going to crush them quite literally. By breaking the support holding up the plate above them."

Tifa felt as if her skin was ice, "Break the support?"

Don's confidence rose as he witnessed the emotions Tifa portrayed. "You know what's going to happen right? The plate will go 'PING' and everything's gonna go 'BAMM!' I heard their hideout's in the Sector 7 Slums…. I'm just glad it's not here in Sector 6."

"Oh no… They are going to wipe out Sector 7… Cloud, we need to go." Tifa looked to her friend.

"Of course Tifa, let's go" The three of them begun to head for the door.

Don suddenly got up and readjusted his robe, "Just a second."

Cloud growled some angry, they stopped just short of leaving, "Shut up!"

"No wait, wait it will just take a second." Don smirked, "How do you think scum like me feels when they babble on about the truth?"

Tifa looked to Aeris puzzled as Cloud spoke out, "They've pretty much given up on life"

"Buzzzzz, Wrongo!" The Don hits a switch. Tifa felt sudden weightlessness as she; Cloud and Aeris fell through a trap door.


	4. The Fall of Sector 7

Thank you Taquiner, my writing is not the best however I will do my best as the story progresses. I appreciate your review. I have quite a lot of story written out, I am uploading the best I can however. I like to write it out, then a few days later re-read to see if it makes at least 75% sense ^_^;

Also this is the main reason I am writing the novelization.. its because I have yet to see a completed version. I am quite a determined person so I am sure I will be able to finish.

The intro of the story I always despise. As soon as I get more freedom (Out of Midgar) I will incorporate a lot of Tifa time.

Wish me luck and please feel free to leave reviews ^^

~Miss Ti

Tifa….. Tifa…..

Hmmm, just a few more moments of rest….

Tifa!

"Tifa" Cloud gently shook Tifa's shoulders.

Tifa sat up looking around. She frowned at where they were. The sewers…

"Are you alright?" Cloud helped her up. Aeris was wringing out her dress.

Tifa decided to do the same to her hair, a bath was much needed, however there were more important things. "Man! This is terrible."

"Well at least the worst is over" Aeris smiled.

From deep within the sewers, a low growling noise echoed.

"Uh… maybe not" Aeris prepared her weapon.

Aps, the Don's pet monster leapt out from the sewer tunnels with a typhoon of sewage behind him. Tifa instantly fell ill from the smell and feeling. Cloud moved up to strike the beast, his clothes weighted down from being wet.

Aeris spun her staff; gently floating she cast out her healing wind. Tifa felt surprisingly better, and cleaner. Clenching her fist she ran up to the sewage monster and begun to hit him with a series of punches and kicks.

Cloud continued to cut down the monster with his sword. Drawing more attention to him, Aps lunched out striking Cloud in the back. Cloud groaned to his knees. Aeris stepped up throwing an item from her pouch at the monster. Aps instantly fell back snoring; Tifa took the time to prepare her cure materia and use it on Cloud, closing up his back.

"We needs to end this" Cloud groaned getting up. Cloud swung his blade around his head and charged at the monster, jumping and slashing him down the middle with his braver limit break.

The monster wailed out in pain twisted soon dying.

"It's too late, Marlene… Barrett…. Everyone in the slums" Tifa's eyes begun to water.

"We can't give up, never give up hope. I don't think it would be easy to destroy a pillar holding an entire plate, right?" Aeris moved to Tifa placing a hand on her shoulder.

Tifa blinked back the tears and nodded "Yeah…. You're right! We still have time."

Cloud smiled to the both of them nodding and they begun to make their way through the sewers. Climbing up a manhole Cloud helped the two women out. Aeris looked around. "The train graveyard…"

Broken trains were scattered everywhere. Tifa took a deep breath of fresh air and looked around to catch her bearings.

Cloud looked to the woman in pink and frowned some, "Aeris, I got you mixed up in all of this-"

"Don't tell me to go home Cloud. This is far too important" she smiled.

Tifa climbed up on top of a nearby diner's cart and glanced off into the distance, "Let's see… If we can get past these trains we should be able to get out of here."

Aeris got a boost up to Tifa's position from Cloud. "You're right; we are closer than I thought we were."

Cloud easily jumped up, "We need to hurry."

Tifa and Aeris nodded and ran carefully on the rooftops. Jumping one last cart they have made it to the train station. Tifa full out sprinted into sector 7, the other trailing behind her.

"We made it!" Tifa huffed seeing the pillar.

Gunfire was sounding echoing throughout the area. Bystanders were held back by Shinra soldiers. Tifa quickly caught site of a familiar round figure on the ground not far from the pillar. "Oh Gaia… Wedge!" Tifa ran over.

Cloud and Aeris quickly caught up and also knelt over by the fallen comrade.

Aeris glanced up at the pillar, "I hear gunfire…"

"Wedge, are you alright?" Cloud checked over his friend.

"Cloud, you remembered my name" the man smiled weakly, blood stained his teeth.

"His head… Its split, it looks like he fell" Aeris checked him over.

"Barrett's up top… please help him." Wedge coughed.

"Shh Wedge, everything's going to be alright." Tifa pulled out her cure materia.

Wedge stopped her using the last bit of his strength, "Hurry, he needs help… An' Cloud, I am sorry… I wasn't any help."

"Aeris, can you watch after him?" Cloud asked gazing upon the tower.

"Of course" Aeris took out her own cure materia.

"Aeris, I need a favor" Tifa remembered, "I have a bar called '7th Heaven' there is a little girl named Marlene there-"

"I will make sure she is safe, you must hurry" Aeris nodded.

Tifa turned seeing Cloud already on his way up the stairs of the pillar. Dashing after him she could feel her adrenaline pump, giving her strength to stay strong. Starting to climb the stairs she turns to the crowd of bystanders. "Everyone get out of here! Get out of Sector 7!"

Tifa ran up the stairs 2 steps at a time. She quickly caught up to Cloud pulling a very injured Biggs off of the railing. "Biggs, stay strong" Tifa whispered as her and Cloud continued. Fallen on the stairs they found Jessie.

"Cloud…. Tifa…. I am glad I could… talk with you... one last time" her eyes watered.

"Don't say last" Cloud carefully moved her into a safer position.

"As soon as we save Sector 7 we will be back" Tifa smiled.

"Tifa, you are just too… sweet" Jessie soon passed out.

"We are almost there" Cloud continued up the stairs.

They reached the top to find Barrett firing an array of bullets at several helicopters. He alone was guarding a large computer panel that would control the pillar.

The gun armed man noticed them and smirked, "Tifa! Cloud! You're finally here! Be careful, they are attacking from above"

Tifa nodded as she tightened her fighting gloves.

Cloud swore as he noticed that someone was already at the control panel.

"Too late!" The man stuck his tongue out playfully at the group. His whole person popped, with his blue eyes, to the fire red hair, down to his half dressed suit appearance. "Mission accomplished."

"We have to disarm it! Cloud, Barrett, please!" Tifa moved to attack the man.

"I can't have you do that." The man drew a nightstick; it glowed as he casted pyramid onto Tifa. "No one gets in the way of Reno and the Turks…"

"Tifa!" Barrett yelled moving to help.

Tifa looked around from inside, she felt life slowly being sucked from her. She grasped her throat unable to breath.

"Try and break it if you can" Reno taunted at Barrett. Cloud yelled out in anger as he begun to attack the Turk.

Tifa pounded the wall with her fist holding her breath.

"Sh*%" Barrett stepped back and begun to fire at the pyramid. Tifa held up her arms to guard herself from the bullets; however the strange force seemed to absorb them. The walls of the pyramid shattered like glass, raining down onto Tifa.

Gasping for breath she moved to Barrett for support. "Thanks."

A bloodied Reno looked to his watch, "Well, time for me to go" with one mighty hit Cloud was forced back. Reno ran to the edge of the platform and onto the railing into a nearby helicopter.

Barrett moves to the control panel and looks it over. "Damn! It's a time bomb!"

Tifa moves over and too looks it over; the mechanics of it looked so different from ones she saw Jessie do. "Cloud I don't know how to stop this!"

After gathering himself from the strike, he moved Barrett away to get a better look. "This isn't a normal time bomb."

"That's right" A voice spoke out. A well dressed man stood inside a larger helicopter. Tifa felt like this person was looking down at ants by the way he talked to them. "You'll have a hard time disarming that one. It'll blow the second some stupid kid touches it."

"I heard of him before… Tseng of the Turks" Cloud clenched his fist in anger.

"Please… Stop the bomb!" Tifa moved closer to the helicopter pleading.

Tseng chuckled some, "Only a Shinra Executive can set up or disarm the Emergency Plate Release System."

"Screw this! I'm gonna bring his ass down!" Barrett raised his arm ready to fire.

"I wouldn't try that if I were you… You might just injure our special guest." Tseng moves some to reveal Aeris.

"Aeris!" Tifa and Cloud call out.

Aeris was bound, her hands behind her back, She lifted her head to see her friends.

"Oh so you know each other? How nice you could see each other one last time. I should be thanked." Tseng laughed.

"What are you going to do with Aeris?" Cloud demanded.

"I haven't decided that yet. Orders are to just find and capture the last remaining Ancient." Tseng knelt down grabbing Aeris's chin to she could look to him. "It's taken us a long time but now I can finally make my report."

"Don't touch her!" Cloud yelled.

Aeris shrugged out of Tseng's grip, looking to Tifa she yelled out, "Tifa! Don't worry, she is safe!"

Tseng slaps Aeris back into the helicopter.

"Aeris!" Tifa moved up to get to her friend. How dare he hit a bound woman.

Cloud held her back. "Don't, we don't know what he will do to her."

"Don't worry about me, just get out!" Aeris yelled from out of sight.

Tseng chuckled, "Well, it should be starting right about now, think you can escape?"

The helicopter flies off. The first set of explosions rumble the pillar. Tifa holds onto Cloud as it sways.

"Once the plate starts coming down it will be too late. We need to hurry."

"We can't run back down and out of Sector 7 in time!" Cloud looks to Tifa.

"Yo we can use this wire to get out!" Barrett was on the railing. He had pulled a support wire out they could use to swing away from the Sector.

Tifa ran over with Cloud, sitting on his gun arm she held on. Barrett swung off just as the second set of explosives was set off. The pillar snapped, the plate on top let loose falling onto the slums before. Tifa clenched her eyes shut. The screams of the residents that couldn't get out in time echoed inside her head.

They landed hard in the sector 6 playground. Barrett placed Tifa down as Cloud slid off his shoulders. Barrett nearly tripped as he ran to the now blocked gate of Sector 7.

"Marlene? MARLENE!" he screamed, "Biggs! Wedge! Jessie!"

Tifa fell to her knees, her voice gone.

"No! NO! Damn it no!" Barrett angrily fired bullets at the gate. "Why? What the hell's it all for? Why them! MARLENE!"

Cloud carefully approached.

"Barrett…" Tifa choked back a sob.

Barrett screamed out in agony falling to his knees. "Damn it…" he wiped his nose with his vest.

Tifa got up wiping the sand from her legs. Looking around she saw the Sector 6 Park. Pieces of Sector 7 had rained down onto the playground. The slide in the shape of a large bear now had pipes sticking out of it. The swings were bent down, a large chunk of burning metal rendering them unusable. Tifa held herself thinking of those that were still in Sector 7 while the plate fell.

Cloud had helped Barrett over by the merry-go-round. The debris prevented it from spinning.

Barrett hid his face with his hand. "Marlene."

Tifa soon felt as though life was given back to her, "Barrett… Marlene… I think Marlene is safe"

Barrett looked up, his eyes red. "Huh?"

"Right before Tseng… Aeris said that she was safe. I think she was talking about Marlene."

Barrett rose to his feet. "Really?"

Tifa hoped she was right; to see this big man broken was too much.

"But…"

"Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie" Barrett frowned some.

"They were all in the pillar." Cloud spoke softly.

"Think I don't know that?" Barrett barked at Cloud, "All of us fought together… I … I don't want to think of them as dead.

"And all the other people of Sector 7" Tifa blinked back the tears, this was not the time to cry.

"This is all screwed up! Just to get to us, they killed all these people" Barrett hit the merry-go-round with his gun arm, causing it to dent.

"Are you saying that it's our fault? That AVALANCE caused the deaths of innocent people?" Tifa felt her chest tighten with guilt.

"No…." Barrett took a breath, "That ain't it. NO! It ain't us. It's Shinra! Everything's that happened has been Shinra's fault. They build up power and line their pockets with gold, destroying our planet at the same time. If we don't get rid of them now, then this planet is done for. AVALANCE has only just begun its fight. We won't stop until Shinra is gone!"

The burden was heavy, "I… I just don't know" Tifa sighed in defeat.

"What don't you know? Don't you trust me?" Barrett questioned.

"It's not that… I just..." Tifa's eyes threatened to tear again. Innocent men, women and even children were in Sector 7 while it collapsed. "It's just my feelings"

"What you got to say 'bout all this?" Barrett looked to Cloud; however the blond was walking away from the both of them.

"H-Hey!" Barrett ran after. Tifa followed not too far behind.

"Where the hell are you going?"

"Aeris!" Tifa whispered to herself, however Barrett heard.

"That girl? What's up with her?"

"She's… Well I don't really know, but she is the one I asked to take care of Marlene."

"She was captured by the Turks though… that means… Marlene could have been."

"Barrett I am sure she wasn't in Sector 7"

"Tifa… With your feelings… you know there's no getting off this train."

Tifa nodded, "I know… I will go with you guys. I can't just stop now." She ran ahead of Barrett, getting closer to Cloud; she called out to him. "Cloud!"

Cloud stopped turning to face Tifa, Barrett soon after catches up.

"Take me to Marlene!" he caught his breath.

"You are going to help Aeris right?" Tifa fixed her hair.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah, but before that, there is something I want to know."

"What is it?" Tifa puzzled

"It's about the Ancients…" Cloud closed his eyes, deep in thought. Softly he whispered a name… That demon's name, "Sephiroth…"

Cloud strained bringing a hand to his head. Falling to one knee he groaned in pain.

Tifa moved over to him, "Are you alright?"

Barrett seemed spooked some, "You have got to hold it together man!"

Cloud shook off the feeling, standing with Tifa's help. "I'm alright… let's go"

Tifa nodded, they made their way through Sector 5.

"Where are we going?" Tifa asked.

"We are going to Aeris' house. I think her mother deserves to know" Cloud sighed.

"Her house? What exactly happened after you fell?"

"Well… I landed on a bed of flowers, she helped me out some and she helped me get back to Sector 7. That's when we saw you."

Barrett scratched his head, "Saw you? That's right Tifa where did you run off too anyway?"

"Ah… It's not important… The important thing here is that the head of public safety maintenance did this to AVALANCE" Tifa hid the fact that she went and saw Don.

"Heidgger? That fat F^$#?" Barrett growled some. "When I get my hands on him he will regret ever doing this to us."

They arrived at an area that seemed cut off from the slums. Like a fairy tale in a book, the house looked to be filled with love and hope. The area around it surrounded by flowers. Tifa was in absolute awe.

Cloud entered first, Tifa soon after and lastly Barrett. They saw an aged woman seated with a cloth in her hands. She had been crying.

"Cloud…" She looked up to the blond, "It's about Aeris…. Isn't it?"

Cloud lowered his head, "I am sorry. The Shinra have her."

"I know. They took her from here."

"They took her from here?" Cloud questioned confused.

"That's what she wanted." Elmyra, Aeris mother nodded.

"Why did they take her? What does Shinra want with Aeris?"

"She is the last of the Ancient, the sole survivor."

"What? But aren't you her mother?" Barrett was confused.

"I… I am not her real mother. I'd say it was about 15 years ago, during the war, my husband was sent to fight in Wutai. I received a letter from him; he said he was coming home on leave. He however never came back. I questioned if something had happened to him, but I was sure his leave had just gotten canceled. I visited the station every day, then one day I found this woman, injured on the train stations steps. A small girl wept over her. I rushed over to see if I could help the woman, but she just took my hand and asked me to 'Take Aeris somewhere safe… please'. I couldn't just leave the poor child there, and I was quite lonely with my husband gone, so I decided to take her home with me. Aeris and I became close very quickly, and she loved to talk. She would tell me everything. How she escaped from a research laboratory and that her mother had returned to the planet so she wasn't lonely."

"Returned to the planet?" Barrett questioned.

"I didn't know what she meant. I asked her if it was heaven that she returned to, but she said it was the planet… She is so very mysterious."

Tifa's heart had felt heavy. Her eyes watered as she took a seat at the table across from Aeris' Mother.

"I remember one day, she came down the stairs and took my hands. 'Mom, please don't cry…' I questioned her, why and what happened. She told me that someone dear had just died, and that his spirit was coming to see me, however he had returned to the planet… I didn't believe her… the feeling inside me still told me that my husband was coming home. He would be home soon. However several days later I received a letter… A letter no woman should ever receive. My husband had died. She was so comforting, we got along very well and we were very happy. Until one day, a representative of the Turks came to my door. They wanted Aeris, said that they have been searching for her for a long time. They told us that her real mother was an Ancient, and that she would lead everyone into a land of supreme happiness. She denied that she was such a being; however he questioned her powers, asking her if she ever heard the voices of the spirits. She denied it and I sent away the man. I knew… I knew about her powers. She would try so hard to hide them, so I pretended not to notice them."

"She has been hiding away from Shinra for so many years…." Cloud spoke out. "It's amazing they didn't get her sooner."

"They wouldn't harm her, they needed her." Elmyra sighed.

"But why now? How did they get to her?" Tifa asked.

"She brought a little girl here with her. On the way, Tseng of the Turks found them. She probably couldn't get away fast enough. So she offered to go with them in exchange for the girl's safety."

"It must be Marlene" Cloud looked to Barrett.

Barrett approached Elmyra, "Marlene! Aeris was caught because of Marlene? Ma'am, I am sorry. Marlene's my daughter… I… I am really sorry"

"You're her father? How could you leave such a small child alone like that?"

"Please don't… I think about that all the time. What would happen to her if I... if I never came back. But you need to understand somethin'… I don't got an answer. I wanna be with Marlene, but I gotta fight, cause if I don't the planet is gonna die. So I keep fighting. But then I am worried about Marlene… I really just want to be with her. It's a circle I can't break."

Elmyra nodded. "I think I understand what you are saying… She is upstairs, asleep. Why don't you go and see her."

Barrett nods in thanks, he heads up the stairs.

"It's my fault… I have gotten Aeris involved in this." Tifa sighed.

"Don't say that… Aeris doesn't think that." Elmyra reached across the table to touch Tifa's hand.

"I just feel so depressed…" Tifa's attention was drawn to Cloud who made his way upstairs. "She wouldn't have ever been involved if I hadn't have asked her for help."

"She is such a special girl… She always loved to help." Elmyra got up and started to wash some dishes. "Please don't think that it is your fault."

Tifa nodded, Cloud made his way downstairs and touched Tifa's shoulder as he moved past her to the door.

"We are going after her right? Tifa got up.

"Yeah"

"I am coming with you" Tifa moved to Cloud's side.

"We're going right into Shinra Headquarters… You gotta be prepared for the worst."

Tifa nodded once, "I know… But right now I feel like I need to push myself. If I stay here… I wouldn't feel right."

A series of thumps were heard upstairs. Barrett ran downstairs and readied his gun arm looking to Elmyra, "I am sorry to ask you this, but could you take care of Marlene for a bit longer?"

"Yes, I don't mind" Elmyra nodded drying her hands on her apron.

"This place is dangerous now since they know… You better go somewhere else."

Elmyra nodded again, "You are right… but promise me that you will come back to her… Don't get yourselves killed."

The small group nods and they all took off. They would need to find a way to climb to the plate above them to get to the Shinra Headquarters.

"The trains won't be running anymore." Barrett informed Cloud.

"…. Let's just head to the Wall Market in Sector 6. We might be able to find something there." Tifa spoke from behind.

Cloud and Barrett nodded. They passed the destruction of Sector 7 and entered Sector 6. The wall market was in full swing. Everyone was out selling their wares.

Two bee girls that were on their break passed the three gossiped. "Did you see what those kids did?"

"I know climbing that wire! Looks scary though..."

Cloud too overheard. "Let's check it out"

They followed a group of kids that ran behind a giant circus tent. Two small girls looked up at several boys climbed a long wire.

"It looks like it heads straight up…" Barrett moved and tugged on the wire.

"Yup! It leads to the Upper World" a girl nodded.

"Alwright! Let's go!" Barrett jumped on.

"How can we be sure it goes all the way up?" Cloud squinted looking up.

"There is a way up... Come on we are wasting time!"

"But …"

"Come on Spiky, this is our golden wire of hope…"


	5. Infinite Stairs

Here is another chapter. Hope you all enjoy… as soon as I get the story out of Midgar I will incorporate more of Tifa's thoughts and feelings. However right now with all the hecticness it's a bit difficult. So I have her mind mostly focused on what's in front of her.

Don't own Anything =)

Tifa watched Barrett climb up. "He's right… we won't know unless we try. This maybe the only way up to save Aeris" Tifa took a hold of the wire and jumped up climbing. Her fighting skills made climbing easy. On her way up she looked down to see Cloud following. Several more feet up she could see over the wall into Sector 7. "Gaia…." Tifa frowned thinking of all the innocent people that were killed. She would seek revenge, their deaths would not be in vain. No matter what she would put an end to Shinra. She tightened her hold on the wire and continued up. She managed to reach the top, Barrett held out his hand to help Tifa up. Taking it Tifa looked to Barrett, his face was hard, he was thinking the same thing.. Cloud followed after, ever the stoic face.

They ran down several alleys, and finally reached the Shinra Building.

"You oughta know this building well." Barrett nudged Cloud.

"… Not really… Now that I think about it. This is the first time I have ever been to the headquarters."

Tifa looked to Cloud concerned. Of course he wouldn't…. As far as she knew, Cloud was never…

"I heard about this place before… The floors above level 60 are locked with a key card… Not even the employees can get in there without the floor card." Barrett checked his weapon over.

"Must be where they took Aeris" Tifa nodded cracking her knuckles.

"The security is pretty light... Let's go!" Barrett was about to charge into the entrance of the building.

Tifa however grabbed his arm pulling him back, "Wait! We can't just barge on in there through the main entrance!"

Barrett nearly fell over, "Well why not? We came here to kick some Shinra butt!"

"We are here to get Aeris and get out… We have got to find another way." Tifa tried to calm down her friend.

"If we keep wasting time like this Aeris'll"

"I know that Barrett… But if we get caught then it's over… They may take Aeris someplace else."

Cloud nodded. "We should sneak in..."

They snuck their way around the building and finally find a side entrance. Tifa picks the lock and with a bit of luck she manages to open the door. They enter shutting the door behind them.

Barrett pales some looking to the obstacle before them. Flights upon flights of stairs… "Yo… You really gonna take these stairs all the way up?"

"Well, we have to help Aeris somehow." Tifa begun running up the stairs.

"Talk about going out of the way… why don't we just go and enter through the main doors." Barrett groaned.

"Don't fall behind" Cloud followed Tifa.

Barrett groaned louder taking off after them.

After several flights Barrett was getting winded, "Don't know… Why… the hell... we… gotta climb…."

"Because we don't want to start a fight until we've saved Aeris!" Cloud yelled down taking a breather. "Doubt that would be possible though."

Barrett lets out a winded laugh.

"Don't do that. You're giving me the creeps!" Cloud started his way again.

"So even someone as hard ass…. Like you will fight… for someone else… I guess I… had you wrong" Barrett caught up to Cloud.

"Who cares? Just climb!"

"I'm just… saying mebbe I was wrong…"

Tifa lets out a chuckle taking the stairs two at a time. Her quads were burning her.

"What are you laughing at Teef?" Cloud looked up at her.

They climbed several more flights. Barrett trudged on. Even Tifa was getting winded now.

"… How much farther?" Barrett took a breather.

"Why don't you ask someone who knows…" Tifa fixed her hair stopping to take a breather.

"It's not one of them endless stairways or sumethin'….. Right?" Barrett stopped to ask Tifa one flight up.

"No!" Tifa yelled down at Barrett, "Don't be ridiculous."

"Right… Couldn't be that" he huffed moving on. "Are we there yet?"

Tifa looked up at the many more flights to go, "Not yet…"

Barrett smirked some, a few seconds later, "Are we there yet?"

"Not yet…" Tifa sung.

"Are we there yet?"

"I said not yet!" Tifa yelled down.

Barrett waited a few minutes, "Hey Tifa-"

"Barrett if you ask me one more time… We are way way way way way far away from being there yet… Ok?"

Barrett laughs regaining some strength to continue. However Tifa now was pained with a headache. Her mind haunted on the task of stair climbing. Her feet ached, why did she wear boots?

Tifa stops bending over resting her self against the wall. Cloud caught up doing the same. It was strange for Tifa to see Cloud like this… just so different.

Moments later Barrett catches up to Cloud and Tifa taking a break. Frustrated now Barrett stomps his foot, "Damn man! I had it... I am going back!"

"And take just as long going down as you did going up?" Tifa grinned looking to her friend.

Barrett gives her a look before heading up the stairs ahead of them.

"Yeah… Well all I know is that I am just flesh and blood… Cept for this arm... Don't treat me like I'm some ex-member of SOLIDER or something"

Cloud shakes his head heading up.

"And what about me?" Tifa runs after Barrett. "Am I not human? Ohhhh do what you want... if you want to go down then fine. But I'm going up."

Tifa passed Cloud taking another break, she soon came up to Barrett who was on the floor taking heavy breaths. "I know you're human too… but damn, this is… just too much"

"Uh…" Cloud made it up the stairs. His face had a tint of red, and surely he wasn't tired just after a short break.

Tifa turned to Cloud and noticed his face. She tilted her head some confused. It was not until she realized… Pulling down her skirt she Eep'd and turned red in the face. "Yaah! Cloud you go first from now on!"

Cloud didn't need to be told twice, he quickly went up his face still red.

'Oh Gaia Cloud saw my underwear… how could he!' She flushed even more and turned to Barrett.

"You too Barrett!" Tifa yelled.

"Wait a min I'm tired!" Barrett sat up.

"No now! Get moving!"

"Fine, Fine!" Barrett gets up and starts running up the stairs. "By the way what floor is this?"

"I haven't gotten a clue… I gave up counting" Tifa followed.

"Why they gotta build these buildings so damn tall" Barrett huffed. "That Shinra… They no good" Barrett took a short breather before continuing on. "Man I am beat… Hold on Marlene, Daddy wants to see your face one more time"

"Would you stop being a baby and climb? We are almost there!" Tifa placed her hands on Barrett's back pushing him up.

They finally reach the top, all of them panting, trying to catch their breaths.

"Finally… M-Made it… I… never wanna... see no more stairs… for the rest… of my life" Barrett leaned against the cool wall.

Tifa rubbed her legs, "That really took it out of me.. But this is it. We'd better get ready."

They enter the building to see some Shinra soldiers guarding an elevator. Cloud runs ahead drawing his sword and easily takes the both of them down. He searched them and pulls out a keycard.

"Think we will need this" Cloud tossed it to Tifa.

She nods taking possession of the 60th floor card. "We need to hurry… I hope Aeris is alright."

"Keep your mind ready… Don't let your guard down" Barrett looked over his shoulder, ensuring no one was going to ambush them.

They reach the elevators and Tifa enters the keycard. They go to the 60th floor.

Several guards were patrolling the hall that leads to the stairs to the 61st floor. They snuck by without being seen and climb the stairs to their floor. The door was stuck open. They cautiously enter seeing that it was a more casual area.

"Let's split up, see if we can get any information" Cloud suggested.

Tifa and Barrett nod, everyone going their way Tifa overheard some useless conversations. Deciding she wasn't getting anything from anyone she met back up with Cloud.

"I managed to get the 62nd keycard" the blonde gave it to Tifa.

"Great! Let's grab Barrett and move on."

Doing so, they casually make their way up to find a floor full of books. Looking around further they ran into a balding man whose nose was stuck in a book.

"Uh… excuse me?" Cloud entered.

"Hmm? Oh... and who are you?" A Balding man adjusted his glasses. He didn't seem fazed at all to see Cloud and the others there. Instead he smiled looking the group over.

Tifa and Barrett gave one another a glance, not sure how to answer.

"You all must be those… Never mind. I am Domino, Mayor of Midgar. Funny though, I am only Mayor in name only. The city and everything is really run by Shinra." He turned looking out a large plane window. The city was truly a site to see.

"Pretty pointless to have you then" Barrett spoke under his breath.

The Mayor laughed hearing Barrett "Ah... yes… However I have come to find that I am more of a librarian than mayor."

"Cloud…" Tifa spoke trying to indicate that they needed to find Aeris.

"Hm? Leaving so soon... I guess it can't be helped. You will need to go up right? It so happens that I have a keycard… but I will only give it to you if you can guess my password."

"Password?" Barrett scoffed, "Let's just take it!"

"Barrett!" Tifa scolded.

"Alright… do we at least get a hint?" Cloud asked.

"It's going to be a four lettered word… I think sounds the best" Domino smirked.

"Best?" Cloud questioned.

Domino blinked several times... "What? How… Yes you are right! Best! God I love the sound of that. I am the best! The best is me! No matter what anybody else says!" he laughed happily. Cloud looked to Tifa really confused. Tifa smiled and shrugged, it was a lucky guess even though he was asking a question.

"Hm, well ok here you go." Domino gave Cloud floor 65th keycard.

"Thank you" Cloud turned and gave the card to Tifa. "But why would you do this?"

"Oh… just to mess with them" Domino smirked.

Cloud smiled nodding. "Let's go guys."

They made their way back to the stairs climbing to the 66th floor. Tifa entered the keycard. They enter the floor and Barrett quickly pulls them out of view. "Easy guys… I just saw the president."


	6. Hojo and the Lion with the Flame Tail

Hello and sorry for a late update. I try for at least several updates per week however we had a controlled fire go wild in the area and I had to assist in stopping it. Ugh did my head hurt. To make up for it to those few loyal readers, I will be putting up a total of 3 chapters this weekend. I do write ahead, and then wait several days before re-reading my work and posting it so that I may correct some errors in grammar and such.

I thank you for your patience and hope you enjoy.

Ps. I don't own anything except some original story..

Cloud and Tifa nod. They carefully follow until they entered a conference room.

"Damn… can't see or hear them" Barrett placed his ear against the door.

"We need to find a ventilation entrance. Crawl in and spy on them." Cloud suggested.

"But where are we going to find one?"

Cloud led Tifa and Barrett to the men's room. "There are always vents in restrooms." Cloud looked into one of the stalls and found a shaft. Entering he helped pull Barrett then Tifa in. They silently crawled through the maze until they found an opening where they could see inside the conference room.

"Man that is a lotta suits!" Barrett whispered.

They listened in.

"We have the damage estimate for Sector 7. Considering those factories w already set up and all the investments, the damage is estimated at approximately 10 billion gil. The cost to rebuild is-"

The president stopped the blue suited man, "We are not rebuilding Reeve…"

"What?" Reeve looked surprised.

"We are leaving Sector 7 as is. We will be restarting the Neo-Midgar plan."

"Then the Ancient?"

"The promised Land will soon be ours. I want you to raise the Mako rates 15% in every area."

A pudgy man dressed in an ill brown danced in his seat and sung out. "Rate hike! Rate hike! Ha, ha ha. And please include our Space Program in the budget?"

"Reeve and Scarlet will divide the extra income from the rate increase" the president dampened the pudgy mans hopes.

"Sir… if you raise the rates, the people will begin to lose confidence" Reeve worried.

"It'll be alright. Those ignorant citizens won't lose confidence. They will only trust Shinra Inc even more.

Heidegger laughed. "After all, we are the ones who saved Sector 7 from AVALANCE."

Barrett growled softly, "Those dirty bastards."

The president looked to an ill looking lanky man in a lab coat, "Hojo how is the girl?"

"As a specimen, she is inferior to her mother. I am still in the process of comparing her to her mother. But for now the difference is around 19%."

"How long until we will get our promised land?"

"I have estimated around 120 years…. It is impossible to finish in our lifetime, let alone the lifetime of the specimen. We are thinking of breeding her. We will create a life form that will be able to withstand our research for a long, long time."

"Good… This concludes our meeting" the president stood and left the room.

A woman scandously dressed looks to the ventilation and sneers. "Ugh… Something stinks"

Cloud, Tifa and Barrett make their way back to the restrooms.

As Cloud helps Tifa down he questions Barrett. "They were talking about Aeris weren't they?"

"I'm not sure" Barrett didn't want to think of it.

"We need to hurry and follow them. That Hojo guy will have the answers" Tifa begun making her way through.

Cloud carefully leads; they find the scientist and follow him up to the 67th floor.

"I remember him... He is in charge of the science department. Cloud don't you know him?"

Cloud shakes his head no. They follow Hojo into a lab. Hiding behind some crates they watch as Hojo checks out a strange lion like creature inside a large dome of glass.

Tifa leans in some to hear what he is saying.

"We will begin soon… My precious specimen." Hojo turns and leaves.

Tifa walks up to the dome and places her hand on it. "Precious specimen? What is he going to do?"

"Teef!" Barrett calls to her. Tifa turns around to see Barrett standing before a collapsed Cloud. "Cloud!" Tifa runs over.

Cloud regains himself and stairs at a large metal dome with a glass window. "Jenova… Sephiroth's…. So they brought it here"

"Cloud…" Tifa worried. These collapses he was having were getting more and more frequent.

"Did you see it?" Cloud looked to Barrett.

"See it?" he was confused.

"It's moving… Still alive"

Barrett approached the window. He paled some and backed away raising his gun arm at the tank. "What the F^$#. Where the f^$# is that things head? Still alive my ass!"

Cloud shook his head. "Never mind… Let's keep going"

Tifa helped Cloud up. The found a supply elevator and take it up. There they see Hojo standing before the rest of the dome glass. Inside of it was Aeris.

"Aeris!" Cloud called running up to it.

Aeris turned to Cloud and touched the glass where he was at. He voice would not come through it.

"Aeris? So that is her name" Hojo smirked. "Now what are you doing here?"

"We are taking her back" Cloud drew his sword. Tifa and Barrett stood besides Cloud.

"So you are the intruders. There are so many frivolous things in this world."

Barrett aimed his gun arm at Hojo.

"Are you going to kill me? I don't think that's a good idea. You see, the equipment here is extremely delicate. Without me, who could operate it?"

Cloud groaned in anger.

"That's right… I recommend you think things out through first before you make any rash moves. Now… bring up the specimen!" Hojo yelled out.

A plate behind Aeris opened, and soon the lion beast from the floor below was raised up. It starts to growl, looking ready to pounce on Aeris.

Aeris starts to panic some, banging on the glass.

"What do you think you are doing?" Cloud yells at Hojo.

"Lending a helping hand to an endangered species… Both of them are on the brink of extinction. If I don't do something, both of these precious creatures will disappear."

"Creature? Aeris is a human being!" Tifa yelled.

"You are sick man!" Barrett called out.

"Barrett!" Cloud looked to the large man.

"Oh it!" Barrett aimed his arm at the glass riddling it will bullets, being careful not to hit Aeris or the Lion.

"No! Stop that at once!" Hojo yelled.

The dome begins to glow and soon the door on the dome cracks and shatters. The Lion creature jumps out pouncing onto Hojo. The scientist blocks the beast's bites using his arm.

"Aeris!" Cloud helps Aeris out of the dome.

"Cloud…Thanks" she smiles to him.

Tifa and Barrett readied themselves for the lion beasts attack; however the beast merely let Hojo go crawling off nursing his arm.

Cloud suddenly heard a rumble come from inside the dome.

"Uh..." he looked to his friends.

"Cloud? What's wrong?" Tifa asked.

"The elevator is moving." Cloud tried to glance down but before he could get a look he jumped back ready to attack.

"That is no ordinary specimen. It is a very ferocious specimen." Hojo laughed.

The lion creature looked over to Cloud and surprisingly spoke out, "He is rather strong. I will help you all out"

"It… it talked?" Tifa was shocked.

"I will talk as much as you want later miss, for now we need to take care of this monster."

Cloud nodded, "Tifa, can I count on you to take care of Aeris?"

Tifa nodded as she moved to help Aeris away from the battle.

"Aeris are you alright? Did they hurt you?" Tifa questioned looking her over.

"I am fine Tifa... Thanks. I knew you would come save me" she hugged her friend.

"It was nothing. To think they were going to 'breed' you with that lion!"

Aeris laughed a little. "I know. I am lucky to have you, Cloud and Barrett to come get me"

The battle was soon over. Tifa and Aeris rejoined the group to find that they are calling the Lion creature Red XIII. Tifa was surprised to see just how intelligent Red was. Not to mention how old he was. At over 100 years he was surly wise.

"Aeris! Are you alright?" Cloud moved to check on Aeris.

"She seems fine" Tifa smiled some. Tifa shook the thought of Aeris and Cloud together, after all she was kidnapped by Shinra and placed into a dangerous situation.

"No offense to you Miss however I have a right to choose my mate… I don't care much for two legged things" Red XII Laughed.

"What are you exactly?" Barrett was more interested in the flame on Red's tail.

"I am what you see; let's just put it as that. You all must have many questions, however I think it's best if we get out of here"

Tifa nodded and turned to Cloud to ask what their next course of action should be. However Aeris had him in an embrace. Tifa felt her chest tighten upon the site. 'No… no they couldn't. Even if, I don't think they are official…right?'.

Red walked up to Aeris bowing his head some, "I apologize for what happened back there. I was merely acting to throw Hojo off guard."

Aeris nodded moving away from Cloud to pet the lion on the head.

Tifa was soon pulled away from her thoughts by a loud Barrett. "We saved Aeris; now let's get the hell outta here!"

"If the five of us go together we will be noticed…. We should break up into two groups. Barrett, you and Tifa go to the 66th floor. We will meet you there"

Tifa winced some at the decision. "Alright... Meet at the 66th floor." She turned with Barrett and left Cloud, Aeris and Red behind.

Barrett looked to Tifa noticing she wasn't herself, "Hey Teef, you alwright?"

Tifa forced a smile and nodded, "Yeah, the sooner we get out of here the better… There's the elevator!" She exclaimed.

They were almost there when suddenly she was grabbed by the hair. Falling back she yelled out for Barrett's attention.

"Well well... what have we got here?" Reno smirked.

Barrett turned to only be knocked out by a blonde female. "The big one was easier than I thought" she smirked.

Tifa kicked up aiming for Reno's gut however the Turk was fast and grabbed her foot. She tried to get up and fight however Reno flipped her and moved fast bending her arm back. She gasped in pain.

"Sleep well." Reno placed a smelly cloth over Tifa's mouth and nose. Forced to breath it in her vision was soon tunneled. Her eyelids heavy. Tifa soon fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
I know its moving slow however like I said before, once I get the story out in the open world I can play a lot more with it. I have just yet to see a completed story so I am working hard at it. Please feel free to leave a review, I will gladly accept assistance and critiques.


	7. Escape!

Another chapter up as promised.  
Fixed Error- Thank you so much alesana4ever for letting me know and i appreciate your review. I hope i do not disappoint.

~Miss Ti

Tifa looked to Cloud, the both of them sharing a cell. They had all been caught and placed in holding. No doubt for their execution. The president had spoken to them telling them more about the Promised Land and how Aeris, the Ancient or otherwise known as the Cetra, was going to bring them there. Tifa looked to the pacing blonde. She wasn't worried about execution… She had no doubt that Cloud would think of something. She watched him as he paced taking in his features. Seated on the bed she kicked her feet back and forth to pass the time. Her face reddened some as she thought of the current predicament. Her and Cloud alone in a cell.

"Hey Cloud?" she whispered to him after clearing her throat, "Do you think we can get out of here?"

Cloud sat next to her so that they could hear one another better. "Leave it to me… We will be out of here in no time." He looked to her and smiled.

Tifa smiled back nodding. Cloud got back up and looked around the room. Tifa laid down onto the prison bed, waiting for Cloud's plan.

Tifa could hear Barrett and Red XIII in the other cell right next to them. Barrett was laughing and saying something about Grandpa's from what she could hear.

She suddenly heard a woman's voice whisper out for Cloud.

"Pst… Cloud? Are you there?"

"Aeris? You safe?" Cloud moved to the wall opposite of the bed.

"Yeah, I'm alright" Aeris sounded happy.

Tifa sighed some. Everyone was safe and close.

"I knew that you would come for me" Tifa couldn't help but to hear in on them. Her curiosity got the best of her. She needed to hear what they were saying. Her eyes were closed as acted as if she wasn't listening.

"Hey, I am your bodyguard right?" Cloud laughed a bit.

'Bodyguard?' Tifa listened even closer, her brows furrowing.

"The deal was for one date, right?" Aeris flirted.

Tifa felt her heart shatter some, enraged her eyebrow twitched. "Oh… I get it"

"Tifa? You are there too?" Aeris sounded surprised…. Of course she was surprised. She thought she was just talking to Cloud.

"Well… please Excuse me" Tifa sat up hanging her legs off of the bed. Just who did she think she is? Barely knowing Cloud and already making the moves. She quickly cleared her mind shaking away all negative thoughts. This was not the time or the place. "Aeris, I have a question."

"What?" Aeris sounded a bit embarrassed.

"Does the Promised Land really exist?"

"I am… I don't know. From the planet the Cetra are born. They speak with the planet and unlock the planet. Then… they return to the Promised Land. A land promised to bring supreme happiness." Aeris recited as if it was a poem.

"What does that mean?"

"I… I don't know."

"You can speak with the planet?" Cloud questioned.

"What does it say?" Tifa soon followed.

"It's full of people. Very noisy. I usually can't make out what it is saying. My mother, my real mother told me to speak with the planet and find my promised land. I thought I would stop hearing voices when I got older… but…"

Tifa sighed and looked to Cloud. He leaned against the wall to Aeris cell and smiled some at Tifa, "Let's get some rest."

Tifa nodded and lied back down onto the bed shutting her eyes.

She had a bad dream… She was out in a large open plain, Cloud off in the distance. She tried to run to him however it seemed like she was getting nowhere. She watched as Aeris soon appear beside her and made her way to Cloud taking his hand in hers and leading him away. Suddenly she was surrounded by many different creatures… Wolves, spiders, vulture.. They moved in to attack. She raised her fist to fight but found that she didn't have the strength or will to fight. The monsters came in fast, her moves however slow. She could feel them peeling away at her skin and flesh. She let out a silent scream and suddenly was jolted awake.

Cloud was gently shaking her.

"Cloud?" She jolted up to sit taking a heavy breath. "Wh-what's wrong?" She did her best to regain herself. The memory of her dream quickly forgotten.

"Something's wrong… look"

Tifa glanced to the door to find it open. Carefully getting up she made her way into the prison hallway, looking down the corridor she noticed a few Shinra guards slain; their blood splattered everywhere.

"I… I wondered what happened…" Tifa covered her mouth.

"One of them has to have a key." Cloud stepped ahead. Briefly searching the guard, he pulled out a card from each of their pockets and handed one to Tifa, "Get Aeris, I'll go help Barrett and Red."

Tifa nodded and watched Cloud run off. Tifa sighed some, 'Great, as if this wasn't awkward'. Tifa moved and opened Aeris' cell. The woman in pink got up from the bed and moved to Tifa, "I heard some noises… What happened?"

"Our cell was just open I guess… The guards have been killed"

"Must have been attacked by…" Aeris seemed to trail off in her thoughts.

"Whatever it was, it's just creepy."

They moved out of the cell and grouped up with the others.

"No human did this… I'll go on ahead" Cloud withdrew his weapon and followed a trail of blood left behind from whatever monster attacked the guards.

"You guys go on ahead… I'm gonna clean up back here. Watch out for Shinra" Barrett lifted a body and moved it into one of the cells.

Cloud took lead following Red XIII, Aeris then followed after Tifa. The blood trail lead them through the science lab where Red was held. They found the metal dome that contained Jenova had been cut open, the specimen inside nowhere to be found.

"Jenova… It looks like it went up using the supply elevator." Red sniffed the area and took off again.

The others followed. The trail led them through the glass dome area where Aeris was kept. Following a set of stairs up they come across a large open room; the president's office.

A large desk decorated the room as the only object inside, behind the desk, the President sat hunched over. A large sword ran through him.

Tifa's eyes widened upon site of the weapon. A long katana like blade… The Masamune .

Barrett caught up to the others slightly out of breath. "Is that… Is the leader of Shinra Inc dead?"

"That sword…" Tifa shook some, her hand placed over her chest.

"Sephiroth" Cloud moved behind the desk for a better look.

"… Sephiroth… he is alive?" Tifa paled.

"He is the only one that can use this sword." Cloud nodded.

Barrett caught glimpse of a man in an ill colored suit. "Hey!"

The man yelled out in surprise and tried to run away, however Barrett blocked his exit. Grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt he lifted him off of the ground.

"Palmer of the space program... What happened?" Barrett questioned.

"P-p-please don't hurt me!" Palmer sobbed, "Se-Sephiroth came… Saw him kill the President with my own eyes!"

Cloud moved around to look Palmer eye to eye, "You saw Sephiroth?"

"Why would I lie at a time like this? He said something... something about not letting us have the Promised Land." Palmer's shirt ripped. Palmer fell back onto his behind and scurried off on his hands and knees.

"Does that mean the Promised Land does exist? And he wants to save it from Shinra?" Tifa moved to Clouds side.

"So he's a good guy then?" Barrett smiled.

"No way… I know Sephiroth… He was always on a different mission… There is no way Sephiroth is a good guy"

"A helicopter?" Red's ears perked.

"Well I be damned… Rufus" Barrett growled looking out the office window. The presidents room had a door leading outside, there was no doubt a helipad there.

"Rufus?" Aeris questioned.

"The VP of this place… The president's son. Guess he decided to come back from his project in Junion."

"I wonder what kind of person he is…" Tifa questioned in hopes that the fight against Shinra would be over.

They run outside just in time to see the helicopter take off. Rufus fixed his orange hair shouldering a shotgun. Clad in a white suite he looked ready to take over his father's job.

"So… Sephiroth was actually here… And you guys are?"

"Cloud… Former SOLDIER First class."

"We're from AVALANCE" Barrett readied his gun-arm. Tifa nodded in agreement.

"A flower girl from the slums" Aeris stepped forward introducing herself.

Red XIII growled, "A research specimen"

Rufus smirked shaking his head, "Wow… What a crew. Let me introduce myself… I am Rufus, the President of Shinra Inc"

"You only president because your ol' man died" Barrett called out.

"Ah yes, that's right. "'I'll let you hear my new appointment speech. The old man tried to control the world with money. It seems to have been working." Rufus paced some glancing to each member of Cloud's party. Mesmerizing their faces, "The population thought that Shinra would protect them. Work at Shinra, you get paid. If a terrorist attacks, then the Shinra army will help you. It looked perfect, but I do things differently. I'll control the world with fear. It takes too much to do it like the old man. A little fear will control the minds of the common people. There is no reason to waste money on them" Rufus smirked.

"Such a speech… enjoy them too like your father?" Tifa readied to fight. This president was going to make things a lot worse for AVALANCE.

"Get out of the building with Aeris" Cloud looked to Barrett.

"Huh? What are you-"Barrett looked to Cloud confused.

"Just do it, I will explain later. This is the real crisis for the planet"

"Cloud what the hell is-"

"I'll tell you later! Go! I will meet up with you after I take care of him" Cloud drew his sword and pointed it at Rufus.

"Alwright… lets go" Barrett motioned for everyone to move off of the balcony. Running downstairs Tifa stopped and looked back to see Aeris had stopped.

"Aeris?"

"Cloud… I just thought of something" Aeris looked to Tifa.

Tifa let out an inaudible sigh, "I'll wait for Cloud… Everyone take the elevator down."

Tifa watched the other run off. She checked the area around her waiting for Cloud. Strange beast like creatures was lurking around the room checking her out.

"Great… Hojo's creatures are out." Tifa could see their sickly figures; she readied her fists for attack. One creature lunged. Tifa crouched and swung her fist forward upper cutting the ill looking creature. She could hear it's jaw crunch, now broken. The injured beast fell back and another took its place, this one fast and circling her, distracting from another that would pounce from behind. However the beast suddenly ran back to the shadows. Cloud made his way down the stairs.

"What happened with Rufus?" Tifa sighed in relief running with Cloud.

"He got away before I could finish him… Things are going to get complicated."

"I had the others take the elevator down."

"Alright… let's take the president's elevator. Get down their faster."

Tifa nodded. They entered a much nicer elevator. Pressing the first floor button they shot down. Tifa felt a rush she hadn't felt in a long while. They needed to run away. There was no doubt the building was surrounded. Ah to have one of Jessie's bombs now.

Tifa begun to run to the entrance of the building however Cloud stopped her. "Get the others… We are going to ride out here"

Tifa looked to the direction Cloud was and saw a truck and motorcycle. Tifa smirked and nodded. Finding Barrett in the middle of shooting back the Shinra soldiers, Aeris and Red took cover.

"Barrett!" Tifa ran down a small set of stairs.

"Teef! Where's Cloud?" Barrett stopped firing and took cover.

"I'll tell you later. Come on! Hurry!" Tifa climbed back up the stairs and got into the driver side of the truck. Aeris got in shotgun and Barrett and Red XIII were in the back.

Cloud drove ahead, busting through a window and onto the highway. Tifa floored the truck and followed. Nearly tipping the truck she corrected the steering and sped off.


	8. Kalm

I see I am picking up some wonderful readers. Thank you so much to those who review, it is giving me confidence and the motivation to take extra care in re-reading and fixing my work. Here is the last promised update for the weekend. I hope to have the next chapter out by at least wed.

Thank you again for reading and I hope you enjoy  
~Miss Ti

"Well… What do we do now?" Barrett climbed down a rope exiting the city of Midgar.

Tifa took a breath of relief. They made it out of the city.

Shinra had sent a large Mecha-SOLIDER after them. This one was mobile and able to keep up with the high speeds of the small truck and motorcycle. With some help of the Lightning Materia they were able to do away with the large machine. Tifa was more than surprised at Aeris while in battle. She had some incredible healing magic… She glanced at her little cure materia, it held no shine compared to the Cetra.

"Sephiroth is alive. I… I have to settle the score." Cloud clenched his fist.

"And that will save the planet?" Barrett asked.

"… yeah" Cloud nodded after some thought.

"Alwright I'm going" Barrett laughed ready for action.

"I'll go too" Aeris stepped up, "I have things I want to find out."

"About the Ancients?" Cloud looked to Aeris.

She nodded, "Many things"

Tifa smiled shaking her head some removing her cure materia from her amour, "Well I guess this is good bye Midgar. What about you Red?" Tifa searched her bag for her HP materia

"I will go with you as far as my hometown" Red XIII sniffed the air enjoying freedom. He must have been in the Shinra building for a long time.

"I guess this is the start of our journey" Tifa stretched after equipping the new materia..

"It's dangerous… are you sure you want to go?" Cloud questioned.

Tifa thought some. Sure she would be running into Sephiroth again… that was something to be afraid of. However if Cloud was going to be there… "I will be alright as long as you keep your promise" Tifa smiled.

Cloud smiled staring into Tifa's eyes a brief moment before moving over to Aeris.

Tifa looked to the distance before them. How long had it been since she left Midgar. That was so long ago. Years before she had met up with Barrett Wallace and his little girl. He and his band of AVALANCE walked into her new bar talking about Shinra and their evil ways.

"Alright everyone, let's mosey" Cloud spoke out to rally everyone.

"We need a group leader for our journey. 'Course only me could be the leader" Barrett grinned

Tifa giggled, "You think so?"

"It would have to be Cloud" Aeris joined giggling.

"^#$^% Alwright…" Barrett turned to Cloud obviously angry however doing his best to hide it, "We will head to Kalm. If something happens we will meet up there. And we can't have 5 people strolling down the fields. Too dangerous. Make the split Mr. Leader"

"Aeris and Tifa will travel with me."

"Huh… thought you'd do that" Barrett laughed some, "Later!" he and Red took off.

Tifa checked over her gloves, she would need a new pair, hopefully she would find a decent weapon shop in Kalm.

"Well let's get there quickly. I'd hate to be out traveling in the dark." Aeris smiled to Cloud and Tifa.

Cloud nodded.

The trip was quiet and quite frankly to Tifa awkward. Since Aeris had Cloud promise that date it just felt too strange to be around them. Her mind pondered more... Did…. Did Cloud even know of Tifa's feelings? Was she over thinking the fact that he had chosen both women? Tifa smiled her cheeks warming as she thought of Cloud embracing her, softly nuzzling into her neck. She imagined his hands running down her back slowly feeling out her curves.

"I hope my mom and Marlene have found a safe place to hide. I don't want them to be taken by Shinra because of me" Aeris's voice snapped Tifa back on the mission at hand. She shouldn't be thinking this right now.

"Ah… That reminds me, thank you Aeris for saving Marlene.. It really means a lot to Barrett and me." Tifa smiled hoping her face had returned to its normal color.

"Think nothing of it. I couldn't have her stay with the threat of the plate falling… I am glad I could help."

Tifa nodded, with a stretch she looked up to the blue sky "I do hope we get to see Marlene soon… I am sure she is afraid of where Barrett might be."

"Don't worry, my mom will take good care of her." Aeris looked up with Tifa, "Ah… what a wide space… Never did like it much. Not until I saw a pair of beautiful Mako eyes."

Tifa looked to Aeris surprised, 'What? Clouds eyes? No.. that just… How close are those two? I will have to ask when we are alone' Tifa picked at the leather on her gloves.

"How do you and Barrett know Cloud?" Aeris questioned.

"Ah… you see Cloud and I grew up together, then he left to join SOLIDER. I moved to Midgar so that i could be closer to the Shinra headquarters and find Cloud. I was lucky to find him, and convinced him to meet Barrett. Barrett is a friend of mine whom i have met at my bar. He convinced me to help fight for the planet."

"It is a noble cause that you all fight for. The planet is suffering, it is like its crying for help now and then."

"Right, your mother told us that you can speak to the spirits and such…" Tifa looked to Cloud. He was checking the surrounding area of any monsters.

"So you came to Midgar hoping to find Cloud? Is he your…?"

Tifa flushed red, "Ah, no… well…" It was too late for her to lie to the woman in pink. However she never did feel right lying, they all just seemed to pile up in to one giant mess.

Aeris giggled and smiled to Tifa, "Well… may the best girl win?" she held out her hand.

Tifa smiled some shacking Aeris's hand, "Y-yeah… good luck"

"I do hope we become good friends, regardless of what happens" Aeris looked on ahead, her eyes seemed to be filled with a hint of sorrow.

Tifa blinked confused, "I do too.. friends I mean… what happens is really up to Cloud."

Aeris's smile became wider as she nodded. Tifa felt as if it wasn't Cloud she was really thinking about. She decided to leave the woman to her thoughts, Kalm was not to far.

The rest of the walk to Kalm was quiet. Tifa had noticed that Aeris had become a bit uncomfortable

Red and Barrett were already there and had rented a room at the inn. Tifa looked around the peaceful town while Cloud turned to the two women and smiled, "Lets pick up some supplies really quick before heading to meet up with Barrett and Red."

Tifa and Aeris nodded. Cloud to the weapon shop, Aeris the Item shop and Tifa to the Materia Shop.

Entering the glowing store, Tifa moved to the different cabinets. Most of the materia there they already had, however there were a few they could have picked up. Tifa counted her gil however was unable to even purchase the Poison materia. She settled for a fire for Red, and a heal for Aeris.

Letting out a disappointed sigh she left the shop to walk around a bit. She came upon a sweet stand and decided to buy herself her favorite treat, chocolate covered espresso beans.

Slipping one in her mouth she enjoyed the bite of grit and continued on. 'if I didn't get junk every now and then I would have been able to buy Cloud some powerful materia' she thought to herself.

Beating herself down she decided to take a short cut through an ally, that's when a dusty old chest game into her view. She glanced around ensuring she was alone and let her curiosity kick in. Taking out her picking tools she opened the chest easily. She stood up surprised, inside was a beautiful gun. It looked to be in new condition.

Tifa was hesitant about picking the weapon up however now that she had unlocked the box she couldn't just leave it there; after all the last thing she needs is for kids to find it and shoot one another. She placed the gun in her bag.

"Hey Tifa, Cloud's done and so am I. have you found any new materia?" Aeris waved over to the brunette.

"Ah" Tifa jumped surprised, "Yes, i managed to get you and Red some materia... Cloud and i are pretty set for now" She handed Aeris her new materia. "I did however hope to get Cloud some new attack materia... however its just so expensive."

Aeris smiled some equipping heal into her armor slot, "Yeah I hear you on that… We need to talk to Cloud in seeing if we can sell some of our old gear for some extra gil, or at least farm up some monsters."

Tifa smiled shouldering her bag and following Aeris to the inn

Inside the inn they rented the entire second floor; mainly because it was an open inn with no walls.

"So let's hear your story. You know, the one about Sephiroth and the crisis facing the planet? Let's hear it all" Barrett got comfortable on one of the beds.

Cloud nodded, he looked to the ceiling thinking back, "I used to want to be like Sephiroth, so I joined SOLDIER. After working with Sephiroth on several missions we became friends."

Tifa cringed some sitting on the floor hugging a pillow. This… This wasn't happening. There was no way he could relive that memory because…

"Alright so I guess he was more of a war buddy. We trusted each other until one day… After the war was over it was SOLDIER's duty to put down any resistance against the Shinra. That was about 5 years ago, I was 16."

Tifa closed her eyes trying to envision the story, however no matter how many times Cloud could retell it, and she would always see the truth. Never the lie he spun. To have the courage to tell him what actually happened scared her. What would he do if he ever found out?

"Wait a minute!" Barrett's voice broke Tifa out of her concentration. "I remember Jenova, that is that headless spook livin' in the Shinra building!"

"that's right" Cloud nodded.

"Barrett, let Cloud continue the story." Tifa put on a fake smile.

"Tifa I was only"

"Please… Continue Cloud" Tifa closed her eyes again.

She wanted to hear more. Find out the details of where her Cloud went.

"It's a reunion of childhood pals!" Aeris smiled clasping her hands together.

"I was really surprised with Tifa" Cloud continued.

He remembered every detail like he was there. The man with the camera to the number of soldiers there. However the story started to slip. Cloud begun to not remember everything. One house he swore he went into, he couldn't remember whose house it was. Then there was the meeting with Tifa's dad… Her father knew Cloud from that incident so long ago when they were children… Her father wouldn't forget him, and yet Cloud mentioned him like they were strangers. Cloud said that he went into Tifa's house, read her letter. Everything he said matched.

They mentioned that Tifa was the guide. She nodded in agreement listening to the story. She was the guide, she took that picture with the SOLDIER and Sephiroth. Leading them up to the reactor they were crossing the old bridge. Cloud remembered that it broke and they lost one Shinra soldier, however they pressed on. They found the Mako fountain and soon after the reactor. Cloud told them how Tifa was to stay outside. Tifa listened close, what would he say now?

"We found Jenova inside along with a number of strange pods… We fixed one of them and Sephiroth discovered that Hojo was using the Mako energy inside the pods and fused them with soldiers. Hojo was creating monsters. Mutated living organisms produced by Mako energy. That is what monsters really are." Cloud sighed.

Tifa's eyes were wide in shock… To find out that Hojo did such a thing to people, it was sickening.

"Sephiroth started to freak… He had thought he was created the same way. He said he always felt special in some way. 'Am I human?'…" Cloud scratched his head, "I didn't quite understand what Sephiroth was saying at the time."

"Damn that Shinra… The more I hear the more I hate them" Barrett shook his head.

"Who would have thought the Mako reactor was being used for that" Tifa held the pillow to her tighter.

"That would seem to increase the number of monsters recently…." Red rested his head on his paws listening.

"Tifa, you were waiting outside then?" Aeris asked eyeing Tifa suspiciously

"… Yes"

"After we returned to Nibelheim, Sephiroth confined himself to his room at the inn… He didn't talk to anyone." Cloud continued.

"Then Sephiroth vanished…" Tifa spoke out softly.

Cloud nodded, "We found him inside the Shinra Mansion… A building that was once used to house Shinra members. He was in a hidden basement… reading research notes from professor Gast about the organism Jenova. Sephiroth didn't come out of the mansion… he continued to read as if he was possessed by something. One night he just seemed different. He called all of us traitors. He said that he was the Cetra.. that he was produced by professor Gast. He left the Shinra mansion, he was going to see his mother. I ran out to find the village in flames."

Tifa's eyes watered. She didn't want to hear the rest of the story… It was heartbreaking.

"I helped a soldier get clear of the fire… and went to save my own mother in the village but… she didn't make it…" Cloud clenched his fists, "I saw Sephiroth cutting down villagers. He went to the Mako reactor… I got their as fast as I could that's when I saw Tifa over her father's body. She took Sephiroth's sword that was left carelessly to the side and ran after Sephiroth into the chamber where Jenova was concealed. She was close to ending him; however he grabbed the sword and cut her. She fell down the stairs and seemed to lose conscience; I moved her to a safer area in that room and went after Sephiroth myself."

"Then what happened?" Barrett was at the edge of his bed.

"He was just insane… I confronted him. And that's the end of my story."

"Wait… What?" Barrett nearly fell over. "Ain't there more?"

"I… don't remember?"

"But then what happened to Sephiroth?" Aeris questioned.

"Well he is a lot strong and faster than me… I couldn't have killed him."

"Records state that Sephiroth is dead… I even read it in the newspaper" Tifa spoke up.

"Shinra owns the papers though…" Aeris looked to the other girl.

".. I need to know the truth… I want to know what happened then. I have challenged the great Sephiroth and lived. Why am I not dead?" Cloud held his head some.

Tifa bit her lip some, "I am alive too…"

"A lot of this just doesn't make sense. Jenova was in the Shinra building we were at?" Aeris got up to think some.

"Damn…. Now I'm confused!" Barrett got up moving to the stairs, "I'm leavin' the thinking to you, let's move out Cloud"

Cloud nods moving down. Tifa however stopped him before he could take a step, "Cloud… How bad was I when Sephiroth cut me?"

Cloud thought some, "I thought you would die… I was really sad."

Tifa sighed searching for her Cloud in those Mako eyes.

"I…." Aeris approached, "The Cetra, Jenova… Sephiroth and myself…" She was at a loss for words.

Tifa understood what Aeris was trying to say, however didn't want to hear it. Hearing the story of her home was always hard. "Let's go… Barrett is waiting for us downstairs."

Tifa moved down and saw Red stretching and letting out a giant yawn soon following them. "What a wonderful story."


	9. Turkeys, Ninja's and Dolphins

Thank you so much for your review Numinous-Alqua. It is much appreciated and I hope to meet your expectations. Sadly I was not able to give you the promised update on Wed. However I will do my best to post up two chapters this weekend. (Sadly work had me over run and on top of that my baby had pink eye from allergies, so no rest and no time to dedicate to writing). Things should be calming down I hope.

Thank you again for reading my interoperation on this story, I hope you enjoy.  
~Miss Ti

As soon as she hit the bottom step, Tifa was tossed a PHS.

Barrett handed the others PHS's and smiled, "With this we can keep in touch"

Cloud nodded and placed it into his pocket, "Let's move out… The innkeeper said that there was a guy in a black cloak heading east"

The small group nodded and made their way through the large grassy plane. The sky was clear and wildlife surrounded them, sometimes monsters would come around but it was nothing they couldn't handle. Red's keen sense of smell kept them ahead of the attacks. Tifa smiled as they noticed a large herd of Chocobo running wild. "Wow look at them all!"

"They are so graceful" Aeris smiled.

"Not only that, but there seems to be a farm up ahead" Cloud squinted looking past the herd.

"Let's see if we could rent some" Aeris laughed bringing her hands together.

Tifa sat down on the grass next to Red XIII. Taking a deep breath she relaxed. Cloud, Barrett and Aeris went ahead to see the Chocobo Farm.

"So how long did Hojo imprison you?"

"Far too long…. However I have had my hopes that I would one day get out." Red smirked. "I suppose I owe your group a debt of gratitude."

"Nah, don't worry about that" Tifa smiled, "It's the least we could do… I just feel bad for anyone who would be in the hands of that crazy scientist."

Red rested his head on his paws soaking in the sun. Tifa shifted and rested using the lion creature as her pillow. "It's such a beautiful day… I hope that we have more of them."

Red looked back to Tifa, "Sadly all days won't be like this… but they will not all be bad."

Tifa sighed, "I suppose…" She sat up hearing the wark of a chocobo; Cloud and the others were coming back.

"We rented 4… Apparently Sephiroth went through Mythril Mines" Cloud handed the reins of a smaller Chocobo to Tifa.

Tifa smiled and scratched the Chocobo's neck, "That's not too far from here… Why the Chocobo's?"

"The Zolom sits in that swamp.. The Chocobo are fast enough to avoid that monster" Barrett helped Red onto his chocobo.

Cloud led the small group across the murky swamp. Tifa felt chilled as they reached the other side to see a Zolom impaled on a dead tree.

"A-amazing…" Tifa dismounted her Chocobo. She shivered in fear of what the silver haired man Sephiroth could do.

"This Sephiroth guy… he's pretty strong" Barrett sounded doubtful that they would be able to stop him.

"To do this to an enemy…" Aeris too was down.

"It's a power we should respect… however not fear" Red sniffed around the area.

"Come on guys… we shouldn't hang around here too long. I don't want one of those creatures attacking us." Cloud pointed to the direction of a large cave.

Tifa walked with Aeris, inside the cave was a vibrant blue. "Oh wow… "Aeris spun around, "Its so pretty in here!"

Tifa smiled at the older woman, "Mythril is a pretty rare material, however the natural growth here is always amazing."

"Yeah but them monsters are not" Barrett loaded his gun arm.

"We should continue to take caution…" Red scratched his ear with his rear paw.

"Guys quiet down" Cloud listened close, "There's someone here?"

A bald dark skinned man stepped up in a dark blue suit. His eyes blocked by a pair of dark sunglasses. "You know who I am?"

Cloud didn't need to guess, "Not interested…"

The man adjusted the sleeve of his suit, his lips pursed, slightly insulted "… Rude… of the Turks."

"Here to kidnap again?" Barrett aimed his gun arm.

"Make it sound so negative…. However it's not all we do." Rude straightened his tie looking uncomfortable. After a pause of silence, a commanding female voice spoke out.

"Sir, it's alright, I can take it from here" A blond stepped out from the shadows. "Newest member of the Turks, Elena." She smirked fixing her hair, "Our job is to find where Sephiroth is headed… and to try and stop you on the way." She blinked, "Wait, maybe it is the other way around. You are the ones getting in our way?"

"Elena… you talk too much" Tseng sighed stepping up with Rude. "There is no need to tell them our orders."

"Sorry sir…" she reddened in the face slumped slightly.

"I thought I gave you the orders… Go, and don't forget to file your report"

Elena straightened up and nodded, "Yes sir! Rude and I will go after Sephiroth who's heading for Junon Harbor!"

Rude shook his head while Tseng rubbed his temple. "Elena….."

"Oh! I'm… I'm sorry"

"Go and don't let Sephiroth get in the way"

Elena and Rude both took off. Before completely leaving, Rude turned to look at Cloud, "By the way… Reno says that he can't wait to show you his new weapon."

Tseng let out a long sigh as Rude left, "Well now…. Aeris, long time no see. It looks like you got away from the Shinra for a while, now that Sephiroth has reappeared."

"You are saying that I should be grateful?" Aeris stepped closer to Cloud.

"No…. Just that I won't be seeing too much of you, so take care."

"Strange hearing that from someone like you."

"Just stay out of Shinra's way" Tseng turned to leave.

"Come on… I don't think they would set any traps, let's get out of here and head for Junon." Cloud climbed a rope ladder leading to the exit.

Tifa moved up to Aeris, the woman looked so angry and sad at the same time. "Hey are you alright?"

"I will be fine… its just that they put me, my mother, even you guys through so much trouble. And now because Sephiroth shows they just give up. I know it sounds completely strange to say but…"

"You wanted them to chase you forever?" Tifa questioned.

"No, of course not… I just don't want anyone else to go through trouble. To be chased. I could handle it and dodge them. Though by the looks of that snake earlier I doubt they would give him any trouble." She laughed shielding her eyes some as they stepped out of Mythril cave and into the sun.

"I understand.." Tifa smiled some, "But like you said… Sephiroth is a big boy, he can handle the Turks easily."

"Hey now why you both sitting there talking about how Sephiroth is with them Turkeys… getting me all nervous that we can't stop him" Barrett yelled out.

Tifa and Aeris laughed however she soon looked to her weapon confused.

Tifa felt a small tug at her glove. "Huh?" looking at her hands she noticed that her Materia was missing.

"What the hell?" Barrett started to fire in a random direction. A blur had ran past him and snatched his materia.

Cloud ran past Tifa and Aeris, "Get back here!" he jumped up and swung his sword hitting the ground. Blue blades shot out from the impact mark to a nearby shrub.

"Owie!" a small girl with a strange looking weapon on her back jumped out rubbing her behind. Everyone's materia fell out from her pockets.

The girl started to sniffle; then cried some.

"Who is that girl?" Aeris questioned.

"You don't see ones like that everyday… Who is that girl? She is just a child" Red approached cautiously.

Cloud walked up to the girl, she was dressed strangely… Sneakers, knee high socks, white shorts, a green tank and to top it all off a white headband?

"Man… I can't believe you hit me!" She got up punching the air, "Come on you spiky-headed jerk! One more time! Let's go, one on one!"

"I'm not interested" Cloud put away his sword.

"What? You going to run away? Stay and fight! C'mon what's the matter? Scared of me?" She yelled out.

Cloud rolled his eyes causing a smile on Tifa's face. "Oh yeah…. Petrified…."

The girl let out a laugh, "What do you expect with my skills. Good luck to you guys. If you feel up to it we can go one on one later. I'm gonna leave now…." She turned to leave…. Slowly.. "Really I'm going to leave!"

"Wait a second." Cloud stepped up some.

"What is it? You have something for me?" The girl turned around with a smile. "What is it? You want my help? Want me to go with you?"

Tifa and Aeris looked to each other confused.

"That's right" Cloud nodded.

"Heh heh… thought so. You put me in a spot… what to do, what to do…." She paced some, "If you want me that bad, I guess I can't refuse. Alright let's go!" She jumped up happy.

"Well lets hurry on" Cloud turned and signaled for the others to follow.

"huh?" the girl was confused.

Barrett let out a laugh while Red shook his head. Aeris and Tifa then followed.

"Hey…. HEY! Wait.. you don't even know my name! I'm Yuffie!" the girl followed.

Tifa moved up to Cloud, "What was that all about?"

"She's been following us since Kalm. I doubt she would stop and I can't afford to have any more of our materia taken" Cloud smiled to Tifa.

"Ah I see… well I am sure she would be a great addition to our party"

"Come on guys wait up for me!" Yuffie caught up to Aeris. "Where we going anyway?"

"Junon, we are all on the mission to find a guy named Sephiroth" Aeris smiled sweetly.

"What a weird name.. oh well I guess it sounds like you will go to interesting places" Yuffie smiled back.

They arrive at the lower city of Junon, the upper part blocked off by several guards. "What happened to this town…. It's so run down." Cloud looked around before turning to everyone, "Alright, spread out in groups of two. Let's see if we can find any information on Sephiroth or getting down to the lower city"

"Hey boobs! Let's go" Yuffie called out to Tifa.

"B-boobs?" Tifa flushed some, "The name is Tifa" she introduced herself.

"You seem fast, like you could grab someone's wallet without them noticing" Yuffie grinned.

"I'm no thief" Tifa sighed.

"I'm not either, I'm just saying that you are fast… and they need girls like us in groups because we hold it together" She winked.

Tifa laughed some, "You're too much, let's see the item shop here" Tifa pointed out.

They were going to enter when Yuffie stopped the older woman. "Tifa! A monster!"

Tifa glanced over to see a large Sea Serpent attacking Aeris and Cloud.

"Cloud! Tifa ran down the steps to the beach.

Cloud used his sword as a shield to block off a bite from the Sea Serpent. Aeris let out a poison materia attack.

Tifa moved to punch the monster, however the monster was larger than she expected and floating on air just out of her reach.

"Tifa! Get out of there!" Cloud called back.

Barrett and Red XIII joined the battle. The large man started firing away at the Serpent.

Tifa jumped back preparing a lighting materia.

Yuffie grabbed her weapon, a large Shurikun and threw it at the monster. Bouncing off it spun back to its master.

Tifa yelled out as she let out a bolt of lightning from her fists. Magic seemed to be effective, especial a water based monster. She noticed Barrett running out of the water carrying a small girl in his arms. The monster was aiming an attack at the large man. Tifa ran forward to block; the monsters tail whipped forward smacking her into the sand. Groaning getting up she shook off the dizziness and prepared lighting.

Red XII streamed through the air in a red blur cutting through the Serpent. The monster wailed out in pain and coiled up collapsing into the water. A large wave wet the beach soaking all on it. Tifa brushed her soaked hair away from her face and took a stead breath.

"Hey! Get over here!" Barrett yelled out. "She's not breathing!"

Tifa moved closer to Aeris, "Who's that? What's happened?"

"That's Priscilla, she is a resident that Cloud and I were questioning." The woman in pink placed her hands together in a small prayer.

Tifa watched as Cloud begun CPR. After several tries, Priscilla coughed groaning in pain.

"Priscilla are you alright?" Aeris knelt in the sand helping the girl sit up.

Cloud gently picked up the girl, "Let's bring her home to rest"

The others nod moving off the beach, Tifa turned around to get a last look. She smiled happy the girl made it. Her smile grew as she noticed a Dolphin breaching the water singing. Tifa decided to stay at the beach and watch the creature jump in and out. Such freedom was such a gift, especially in the city of Junon. They had built a large hanger along with a naval station. The lower part of the city was left for those who had resided long ago. Shinra had built the upper portion which included a large cannon. It seemed almost comical to her how large it was, and she wouldn't doubt that it would work. After all Shinra seemed big on attacking, especially after the war.


	10. Junon Finding the Ship

Tifa sighed, she didn't know how long she was sitting on the beach of Junon, however she soon heard the small energetic voice of the vibrant ninja girl.

"Hey Boobs! Let's go!" Yuffie ran back down to get her.

"The boobs nickname again? Really now Yuf.." Tifa shook her head.

"Then pick up the pace! The girl we saved says she's well enough to get up. "She's even given Cloud a rare Materia!"

Tifa laughed and walked with Yuffie. She had to admit the small girl was strange but she meant good… She could see why Cloud asked her to join the party. Her personality was a good refresh for the group, not only that but her unique… Talents were helpful. They have found that she carried an abundant of Materia on her.

The city seemed to be alive as Tifa and Yuffie caught up to the others.

"What's going on?" Tifa looked to Aeris, "Junion is all noisy all of a sudden."

"Does this have something to do with Shinra?" Red scratched behind his ear.

"Whatever it is, it's giving me a headache!" Yuffie complained.

Cloud helped Priscilla out of her house. She bowed to the group, "Thanks for helping me… I had thought you were those Shinra after Mr. Dolphin…"

"Mr. Dolphin?" Barrett let out a chuckle.

Tifa jabbed him with her elbow to stop.

"That's alright, we were just happy to help you from that Serpent."

"What is that music playing?" Aeris asked sweetly.

"They are rehearsing the reception for the new Shinra president." Priscilla said softly.

"Rufus?" Barrett laughed, the gears on his arm whirling some. "I gotta pay my respects"

"Grandpa and grandma told me the Junon beach was once beautiful… but Shinra built the city and the sun stopped shining here… and the water got polluted. I hate Shinra so much I could die"

Tifa smiled some at Pricilla, so much anger, she should be playing and having fun without a care in the world. Why couldn't it be like back when she was a child? She would be able to run out and play, there was not much threat of monsters, just your typical wolves and such.

Her thoughts were snapped back to the group.

"We have got to get up there… Could we climb that tower?" Barrett questioned.

"No you can't! There is a high voltage current running underneath the tower. However maybe Mr. Dolphin could help you get up there."

Tifa and Aeris shared a glace while Yuffie looked ready to go.

"Well this sounds like a good job for Cloud." Aeris smirked

"Dolphin ride! Woo!" Yuffie made for the beach however Tifa pulled her headband causing her to fall on her backside.

"High voltage tower? Cloud will be alright."

"He-ey wait!" Cloud spoke out as he felt a small force pulling him from behind. Pricilla was already leading him to the beach.

Yuffie got up and rubbed her behind. "Owie… What was that for?"

Aeris laughed some, "You don't want to do something that dangerous… We need to find another way in."

Barrett nodded, "Let's split up. Red and Aeris, you head back round and see if you can get on the boat Rufus will be using. I will head with Tifa while Yuffie scouts the area from above."

"Above?" Yuffie sounded confused.

"Use your ninja skills and go over the city" Tifa explained.

"Ah Gotcha!" Yuffie smiled running up a wall and onto a rooftop.

"Meet you on the boat" Aeris waved.

"Alright Teef, let's do this my way. We are barging in front door!" Barrett revved up his machine gun arm.

"Whoa whoa if you do that they might not even let the president near the city. We have to get on the boat to make it across and find Sephiroth."

"And jus' what do you recommend?" Barrett scowled some.

Tifa thought some, looking over to the lonely guard. "Bribe?"

"Red and I tried that earlier, he didn't take." Barrett folded his arms.

"Well…" Tifa looked to herself, "You are not a woman are you?" She winked.

With the plan in action, Barrett moved out of sight of the soldier. Tifa walked up looking bashful. "Excuse me? Could I please get into the city?"

The solder smiled placing a hand on his hip becoming less intimidating, "Sorry miss, however that's a no can do."

Tifa frowned, "Ah… but my girlfriends are all in there." She growled on the inside, dying to just knock this guy out and take the lift up.

"Nope, can't let you do that, but you can come back tomorrow."

Tifa stuck her lip out in a pout. "Pretty please?" She played with the wrist of her glove. 'stubborn bastard, let me!' her mind screamed.

The guard placed his hand under his chin seeming to be in thought, "Well… alright, only if you give me a kiss."

Tifa froze some, "A-a kiss?" She regained her composure and smiled; "Well, okay I suppose I can give you one, but first, close your eyes"

The elevator grinded to a halt. Tifa got off the elevator with Barrett shaking out her fist.

Barrett grinned, "My idea was better."

"Your idea would have killed him Barrett, we want subtle, sneaky and silent." She looked back at the knocked out guard. "I hope he will be out until we can sneak onto the boat."

"We better hurry then" Barrett sent the elevator back down.

Tifa looked at the large city, "Reminds me of upper Midgar… All wealthy up here while everyone suffers below…" She turned her head towards the sound of distant marching music.

"What the hell is going on?" Barrett entered an alleyway with Tifa.

They came across a parade; Rufus was waving at the crowd from on top of his float. His white suit had him stick out like a black chocobo in a field of yellow. Behind him was a large flight of Shinra soldiers. They were marching completely synchronized, well… all except this one solider whom seemed to be a step behind.

"Come on Teef, let's split up and find that boat." Barrett led her to the docks.

Tifa nodded in agreement. Running off she decided to get some clues as to where Rufus's ship might be. Tifa didn't want to waste too much time however, so she headed to the shopping district. Picking up some goods she had asked around about Rufus and his plans. He personally was going to find Sephiroth.

Feeling a bit homesick, she decided to enter a bar. She missed the smell of whiskey and the dark ambiance. She approached the bar to get a quick shot. While at the counter, two long arms held the bar from either side of her.

"And what are you doing here?"

Tifa turned quickly to see Reno smirking at her.

"Reno!" She glared at the red headed turk.

"Hey now no need for such hostel glares… We didn't start out too good. I am Reno." He gave out a flirty smirk.

"I know who you are… you and your turks wiped out sector 7 and killed my friends!" Tifa pushed Reno back away from her.

"I was just following my orders. And besides I think your blonde boyfriend got his revenge" Reno pointed to a bandaged cheek.

"He's not my boyfriend, and you deserve it!" Tifa flushed.

"Ah so he isn't? How about you and I get together sometime when I am not on duty" He winked.

"What? Never! Tifa spoke out a little too loud.

"Easy babe, its not like I'm a pure bad guy. I get a job, I get it done." Reno bent over some now eye to eye with Tifa.

Tifa clenched her fist, "Well I happen to get my job done too… and that's making sure scumbags like you stop destroying the planet."

"Aw.. you are just too cute" Reno chuckled some.

"Reno" another voice called out. Tifa looked behind Reno to find Rude readjusting his glasses.

"Whadya want?" Reno stood up straight and looked over his shoulder.

"… We need to get back" Rude straightened his tie.

"Right right…" Reno sighed. Looking back to Tifa he gave her a wink and large smile, "Next time I am off duty, lets get some drinks together."

"Not even in your dreams" Tifa gave a threating glare back.

Reno turned and gave Tifa a short wave before leaving the bar with Rude. Tifa let go a breath she held. Her heart was pumping hard…. No more games, she needed fo find the ship and get onboard. She ran down several hallways close to the water before finding Barrett spying on some Shinra employees.

"We will need a disguise" Barrett looked back to Tifa whom noticed several sailors and soldiers loading cargo into a large boat, it had to be the one Rufus was taking.

Tifa looked to Barrett and gave him a nod. He walked up to the soldiers and grabbed the back of their heads, forcing them to hit one another instantly knocking them out. A sailor whom noticed ran towards Tifa's direction in a panic trying to raise the alarm. Tifa however stuck out her arm and close lined the sailor.

"Hmph, I'll take that one." Barrett moved over to the sailor and begun to strip him.

Tifa shook her head with a chuckle, "I suppose its only right, I don't think they would allow a woman to be a sailor here." She undressed the Shinra soldier and dressed herself. She was about to run onto the boat when she felt a tug. Turning Barrett had a hold of her hair.

"Better tuck that in" He placed a small white sailor hat on top of his head.

Tifa's cheeks puffed out as she held in a laugh, looking at her large friend she couldn't help but think he looked like a giant marshmallow.

"What? What is that look for" Barrett frowned some.

Tifa moved to her friend and gave him a friendly hug, "Oh nothing Barrett, I just think that uniform looks good on you"

Barrett grumbled as he ran onto the ship. Tifa followed and moved through the cargo bay. Finding a catwalk to the deck of the ship she decided to make her way up. 'I hope the others make it aboard safely, especially Cloud'.

"Hey you!" Palmer walked up to Tifa pointing his chubby finger at her, "Get up to your watch!" he pointed to crow's nest like platform.

"Y'yes sir" She did the best Shinra soldier salute she could. Climbing the ladder she couldn't help but be at awe with the view. She glanced about more and notice Rufus following Palmer into the captain's cabin. Another Shinra soldier was walking around confused. Tifa smiled behind her mask as she caught a glimpse of Mako blue eyes. Cloud climbed the ladder onto the deck Tifa was on.

"How are you holding up?" he pulled down his mask with a smile on his face.

Tifa couldn't help but see how attractive Cloud was in his uniform.

Tifa smiled and saluted Cloud playfully, "Yes sir! Everything is nice and quiet" She lowered her salute and leaned in close to Cloud, "But you know what… this uniform I really hate it" She turned embarrassed, Cloud had a look on him that told her he wasn't thinking what she was, She quickly played with the sleeve of her uniform, "Ah… I mean.. Uniforms… Soldiers, war.. I hate them all. They take away things and people you love… I wish they would all disappear.. Right Cloud?" Tifa turned smiling to her childhood friend.

Cloud had a sincere smile on his face. He nodded and moved to take Tifa's hand however stopped looking around. His cheeks were red even with the setting sun hiding them, however she could see him blush. "Yeah…"

Tifa felt her chest swell with excitement. She saluted once more to Cloud, "Yes sir! I will continue my watch sir!" She giggled turning back around to stare at the ocean.

She peeked back as soon as Cloud got down from the platform. He made his way to check up on Red whom was having some difficulty standing on two legs. Tifa leaned against the railing. She thought of the future, when they defeat all of those whom stand in the way of destroying the planet, perhaps they would move back to Nibelheim and settle down. She smiled more letting out a laugh. 'Ah Cloud… to think such things now.'

An alarm sounded from the ship. Tifa turned to see most of the soldiers were missing, and the sailors ran for cover. Cloud had removed his disguise and called everyone over. Tifa ditched her Shinra uniform and cracked her knuckles. Cloud had a look upon him that didn't sit too well with her. There was a strange eerie feeling onboard the ship.


	11. Jenova and Sunny Costa Del Sol

X_x rough week for Miss Ti… my boss had taken a week off leaving unexpected work… my grandmother had passed, I have been ill, and now my poor daughter is ill from a mandatory flu shot. *Sigh* here is the latest chapter.. I am sorry if it disappoints, I really wasn't feeling re-reading. I may go over it in the future when my stress levels are down and when I am feeling well. Happy father's day to all the dads out there.

I apologize again..  
~Miss Ti

The others had removed their disguises and looked around the boat suspiciously, "There is no way they could have found us." Red sniffed the air.

Yuffie, green in the face pointed down below deck, "When I was.. ump.. down there, there seemed to be .. ugh.." She slid down onto her knees. "Something strange."

"Do you think it's… Sephiroth?" Aeris looked to Cloud.

Cloud shook his head, "I am not sure.. but let's find out." He carefully made his way below deck.

Tifa looked to Aeris, she knelt by Yuffie, "I will watch over her, you, Barrett and Red go and help Cloud"

Tifa nodded and followed the Lion and large man. Below deck, the lights flickered as they rocked with the ship. The sailors and soldiers that were working were slain. Their bodies covered in large cuts… Tifa cringed as she knew they were from the blade of a sword. She embraced a nearby support beam as the ship lurched to the side. She noticed Cloud knelt down to keep his balance.

"These marks… its from Sephiroth's blade." Cloud sighed.

Red shook his head, "We should take caution..."

Barrett moved over to the engine room of the ship, "With all this jerking around… he must be in here. I didn't see 'I'm above."

Cloud nodded and drew his sword. Tifa took a deep breath and prepared for the worst.

Cloud charged through first followed by Red, then herself. Barrett held up the rear.

Inside they didn't find Sephiroth, but one soldier standing in the center of the warm room facing the furnace of the ship. Tifa's heart pounded heavily in her chest. Something just wasn't right.

The man slowly turned to reveal his pale face, blood pouring from a blade wound on his neck.

Tifa paled, fear caught in her throat. She wanted to scream and run however while backing away she felt Barrett's chest. Looking up to him she saw that even he was uncomfortable. Recomposing herself she swallowed hard and walked up to stand next to Red. She noticed Cloud freeze in place. Her eyes tracing to where he was looking at, she noticed silver hair melt from the floor. A pale completion contrasted against cold, vicious Mako eyes as the tall figure rose from beneath the floor.

Her heart caught in her throat once more, she fought back both anger and fear. The man before her garbed in black, just how her nightmares remembered him. Sephiroth raised his arms up as if showering her and her friends with his compelling presence. His eyes seemed to be focused on the entirety of the room as his insidious dark voice echoed. "After a long sleep… The time has come…" His blue Mako eyes scanned the room, lingering briefly on each of Cloud's party.

"Sep… Sephiroth" Cloud gritted his teeth.

Sephiroth lowered his arms and tilted his head slightly, he made no move to prepare to attack. A brow arched as he let out a smirk, "… Who are you?"

Cloud swung his blade growling, "You don't remember me? I'm Cloud"

The tall silver haired man seemed to chuckle some. "Cloud…"

Cloud shook his head lowering his guard, "Sephiroth… what are you thinking? What are you doing?"

"The time is now.." Tifa noticed Sephiroth's feet gently raise from the floor… was he… flying? How could he possibly fly?

Cloud's grip tightened on his sword, "What? What are you saying?" Sephiroth!"

Barrett let out a curse in surprise as Sephiroth ascended. The flying man reached into his coat and pulled out what seemed to be a materia held by a hand on a ill grey arm. He let it fall from his hand onto the floor where it began to bubble and grow.

Red growled as it formed into a large monster. Tifa prepared to attack, this monster… it just seemed to be so familiar.

"Sephiroth!" Cloud yelled as Sephiroth flew through the ceiling.

The monster let out a screech, causing the ship to rumble and rock.

"We need to take care of this mess" Barrett started to fire at the monster being careful not to hit the ship. The last thing they needed on top this monster would be to have a sinking ship.

Tifa ran into action placing well timed punches and kicks against the creature. However it proved to do little damage. The skin on the creature seemed to mold into her punches softening the blow.

Red jumped onto a catwalk and raced around, jumping onto the monsters back he begun to bite and claw. Hunks of the creatures flesh were torn off, instantly disintegrating.

Cloud seemed to be frozen in place from where he watched Sephiroth leave. His mind seemed to just go blank.

"Cloud! We need your help!" Tifa called out. She was quickly hit by a tentacle the monster had formed. Her back hit the ship's wall hard knocking the breath out of her. Groaning she struggled to get up however was unable to. She cursed at herself for putting away her cure materia.

Barrett held a hand to his throat; the monster had casted some sort of magic on him. He coughed water pouring from his mouth.

Cloud seemed to snap out of his daze as he ran up and slashed at the monster. The magic spell that was cast on Barrett faded.

Red was flung off by the creatures tentacles, shaking off the pain he ran back in to attack.

The monster wailed out in pain, and soon gazed upon Cloud. A bright beam like laser emitted from its eyes.

Cloud was quick in blocking the attack with his blade, however it wouldn't hold long before it would destroy his sword.

Tifa was finally able to get back up, she ran at the monster casting a quick lighting. Running up to its large body, she yelled out placing a well placed kick at its chin back-flipping off. The beam the monster was emitting faded with the contact.

Cloud swung his blade around and ran at the monster in the same manner as Tifa, sticking his blade into what Tifa would have guessed to be its gut; he dug his feet in climbing up. The blade ran through easily splitting the creature into two.

The monster wailed in pain before it started to disintegrate, leaving the original arm and materia.

Barrett walked up spitting out more water from the aqua lung attack. "Isn't that…"

Tifa nodded, "I've seen this somewhere.."

"It's what disappeared from the Shinra building" Red added pawing at the arm some.

"Jenova… It's the arm of Jenova." Cloud knelt down to get a better look. "So it was Sephiroth."

"What was he talking about?" Tifa looked to Cloud, "He said something about it being time for something."

"The time is now…" Red re-quoted, "What does it mean…"

"I don't get it" Barrett scratched his head, "Can you explain it to me again?"

Cloud nodded, "Sephiroth went off searching for the Promised Land so he could become ruler of the planet… that was 5 year ago. Sephiroth then went and killed the president Shinra… and now we just saw him… He has Jenova with him, his mother. This is what I know so far."

The intercom of the ship buzzed, "We will be docking in Costa Del Sol in 5 Minutes… I repeat."

"Whoa! We gotta hurry and hide somewhere" Barrett ran out of the engine room.

Tifa looked back at Cloud and watched him pick up the red materia. She let a tiny smirk slip knowing that the ninja girl would have kicked herself for missing out on this one. She turned to hide behind a shipping crate and watched the others do the same. The soldiers and sailors that hid from the massacre below deck slowly came down and investigated. They grimly gathered the bodies… Tifa felt horrible, even thought they were Shinra, they were still human like them. No matter whose side they fought for, no matter the cause… the casualties had the same effect on all. Tifa glanced over to see Aeris staring at the fallen men, she could tell the woman was praying for a safe journey back to the lifestream.

The time it took to land went by very slow. Anticipating to be found made her nerves stand on end. The docking bay door finally grinded open. As soon as she was sure that they could leave undiscovered they made it out. Tifa shielded against the bright sun. The warm weather felt great on her skin. The others followed behind her.

"Damn!... Sure is hot here… But I sure feel better now that I can say goodbye to this sailor suit" Barrett crumpled the white uniform in his fist.

Aeris nudge Tifa with a smile, "Aw, that's too bad.. I liked Barrett's sailor suit.."

Tifa let out a giggle, "You could always use it as pajamas.. it looks comfortable"

"Yeah!" Aeris playfully flirted, "It would be so cute!"

"Cute?" Barrett reddened in the face if it was possible for the dark skinned man. "What 'ya mean cute?"

Cloud scratched the back of his head with a smirk, "Ahh… you looked like a bear wearing a marshmallow."

"The hell's that supposed to mean? This happens to be the most comfortable. So everyone just shu'up!" Barrett trudged a bit away from the group.

Tifa turned to some panting coming from behind her, Red looked unwell. "Would you… kindly hurry? The heat… is drying my nose."

Yuffie was kissing the ground happy to be on land.

"Alright enough jokes aside, we'll take a break here and head off.."

"Damn right we take a break" Barrett grumbled heading off to the bar.

"Maybe I should get a tan for once… Which do you like Cloud?" Aeris spoke out grabbing Tifa's attention.

Cloud obliviously thought about it, "I like fair complexions."

"Got it. I'll remember that" She smiled and looked to Tifa, "What are you going to do?"

Tifa thought about it some, "I think I might go swimming."

"Ooh! That sounds good." The girl in pink winked to Tifa and glanced to Cloud whom was listening to them, "Cloud, are you thinking of anything in particular? I believe you might be sweating some."

Tifa laughed a bit as Cloud shook his head heading off.

"Well lets go" Aeris took Tifa's arm.

Aeris had led Tifa to a bathing suit shop. Going through the racks Tifa couldn't help but feel that this was fun however awkward it was.

"Ohhh I really like this one." Aeris held up a cute pink two piece with ties on the sides of the bottoms.

"That would suit you" Tifa laughed some. She glanced down at the current rack she was looking at and sighed in frustration. Of course they wouldn't have her size top.

Moving over to another rack she glanced at Aeris. The taller woman had tried on the swimsuit and looked stunning. Her skin was lighter than Tifa's, the pink complementing and just making the taller woman shine.

Tifa grumbled picking out a solid black two piece and moved to the changing room. The top was a little small; she would have to be careful. She turned looking at herself from the side, loving the cute small heart shaped buckle that decorated one side of the bottom piece. She looked at herself in the mirror more and posed as if for a picture. She didn't find herself glowing like Aeris did. Frowning at her reflection she decided it would have to do. The break was a privilege that they rarely received and she would enjoy it whether or not she looked as nice as Aeris.

Aeris noticed Tifa in her swimsuit and smiled, "Oh that's nice. It looks really cute on you."

Tifa smiled paying for the bathing suit. Aeris was genuinely nice, how could she compete?

Both girls moved to the square of town, Tifa smiled as she noticed Yuffie working part time at a materia shop. Perhaps she should warn the owner that the materia crazed ninja would most likely have other intentions.

The two women moved onto the beach. It was relatively open; a group of girls were surrounding someone she couldn't see.

Tifa moved waist deep into the water. It was cool and crystal clear. Scooping the water to rub onto her skin to adjust slowly she smiled fully relaxed. A wind surfer sailed by giving her a smile. Tifa shook her head instantly knowing what the surfer was thinking and dipped herself into the water. Coming back up for air and to wipe the salty water from her eyes. She looked back to shore to find Aeris was staring at the surrounded person intently.

She made her way back to shore and soon found Cloud approaching.

"Hey, how's the swim?" Cloud smiled to Tifa.

"Water's great! You should join" Tifa returned the smile with her own while moving a strand of wet hair away from her face.

"Aeris? Are you going to swim too?" Cloud questioned.

"Look.." Aeris pointed to the direction of the surrounded person.

Tifa squinted her eyes, she could see a man dressed in a lab coat. He readjusted his glasses while sipping on a tropical drink.

"Is that… Hojo?" Cloud questioned.

"Cloud, you should go and talk to him.." Tifa spoke softly as if Hojo could hear her from his position.

Cloud nodded and moved to do so. Aeris followed, after doubting that she should go, Tifa followed.

A tan woman dressed in a yellow bikini glared at Cloud. "What do you want?"

"I want to talk to Hojo" Cloud folded his arms.

The woman whispered to Hojo. He adjusted his glasses and looked up to Cloud.

"I am busy right now…" Hojo however caught a better look at the three of them. "No wait… I remember you now.. Yes… It's been a long time, Cloud" Hojo smirked.

"Hojo.." Cloud growled some

Hojo waved the girls off and sighed, "Sometimes you just gotta sit back and relax."

"What are you doing?" Cloud asked.

"What does it look like? I am getting a tan" Hojo laid back down on his beach chair.

"Hojo!" Clouds voice raised sounding threatening.

"Hmm.. believe it or not, we are both after the same goal"

"Sephiroth.."

"Did you see him?" Hojo sat up in his chair with a smile. Tifa didn't like how the scientist spoke.

Cloud let out a small nod.

"I see…" Hojo let out a laugh.

"What is it?" Cloud asked. Tifa and Aeris shared a glance both equally confused as to Hojo's reaction.

"Nothing.. I just remembered a certain hypothesis… Haven't you ever had the feeling something is calling you? Or you had to be somewhere?"

Tifa now really didn't like where this conversation was going. Hojo knew something.

"I'll go anywhere Sephiroth is at! I will beat him and put an end to all this!" Cloud clenched his fist.

"I see… This could be interesting… Were you in SOLIDER?..." Hojo let out a chuckle that made Tifa's chest feel heavy, just how much guilt must she endure. "Would you like to be my guinea pig?"

Cloud reached to draw his sword, he had enough of this.

"Oh what now? You are going to draw your sword?" Hojo laughed more.

"Cloud… you shouldn't" Aeris placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Aren't you the Ancient?" Hojo glanced over to Aeris.

"I'm Aeris. The least you can do is remember my name.. Tell me something Professor Hojo. I know I'm an Ancient, my mother told me."

Hojo nodded, ""Oh right, Ifalna, how is she?"

Aeris stiffened some, "You didn't know? She died."

"Oh.. what a shame"

"Professor Hojo… Is Jenova an Ancient? Is Sephiroth an Ancient? Do we have the same blood?"

Hojo seemed to not listen to Aeris, instead he mumbled something… It sounded like.

"Head west?" Tifa looked to Cloud.

"He's… It must mean he's hiding something." Aeris nodded to Tifa.

Hojo fixed his glasses and leaned back on his chair ignoring the group.

Cloud sighed, "I bought us a Villa, we will stay the night and then head west in the morning. I suppose we will stop by Mt. Coral."


	12. Johnny, the Perfect Pair, and Coral

Thanks for the kind words Alesana4ever… it means a lot during these times. They say when it rains it pours and thankfully it has begun to lighten up. My daughter is better and I soon hope to be back into my routine. I appreciate your review and hope I improve to meet everyone's expectations. There are not many FFVII stories out there anymore with the new games, books, and movies coming out, so each review is very precious to me. Thank you all.

I will continue to try and push for 1-2 updates per weekend. Depending on how my workweek goes I may post.

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope you enjoy.  
~Miss Ti

Early the next day, the team will make their way to Mt. Coral. Tifa decided that she would go back to the villa, shower and grab a bite to eat. Entering the villa she was taken back on how beautiful it was. She explored the kitchen area to find it empty; of course, it's a new place why would it be stocked, then she moved to the bedroom. Placing her bag on one of the beds she took out her normal skirt and shirt. Her skin held a small red tint, no doubt a small sunburn. Sighing she entered the bathroom and turned on the water, setting it on cool. Tifa wondered where everyone else was at while she ran a soapy cloth over her body. She paid special attention to washing her hair; she knew that the journey to Coral would be long.

Turning off the water she dried up quickly and dressed. Heading back outside and to the bar when she heard a voice call out to her.

"Tifa? Tifa is that you?" A well-tanned man dressed in a white tank and red swimming shorts ran in front of the woman.

"Wow it is you!"

Tifa tilted her head some confused, it was not until her memory picked up who it was, "Johnny?" Tifa smiled.

"Yeah! I am glad you remember me. How have you been?" he smiled.

"Oh wow Johnny! It's been so long! I am great, how about you? What happened since you left?" She couldn't believe it. Someone from her home town was here in Costa De Sol.

"I'm doing great, how long are you here for? Where are you staying?" Johnny asked.

"Oh I'm with Cloud and a few others, over in the Villa."

"Cloud?" Johnny was shocked. "No way! I remember him, where is he at?" Johnny looked past and around Tifa.

"He's around" Tifa smiled.

"Wow, so what are you... you two?" Tifa knew what he was asking

"No, no... We're not." She looked down some.

"Oh yeah? Sorry to hear... I knew you always acted different when you were with him. Johnny smiled. "Hey if you are not doing anything, do you want to come by my place and catch up?"

"Ah… actually" Tifa never did like going to places alone with another man, unless it was Cloud or Barrett, sure Johnny was a childhood friend like Cloud, but she didn't know him like Cloud, "I was going to head over to the bar and grab something to eat."

"They got some pretty good food there, I will join ya" Johnny smiled.

Tifa and Johnny got a booth table; they spent most of the night talking and reminiscing most of their fondest memories."

"Oh right I remember that" Tifa shook her head while munching on a fry.

"Yeah yeah… and you remember after that when Tony and I jumped into that patch not knowing"

"Oh Gaia right! Not knowing about that beehive!" Tifa laughed.

Johnny laughed along with her.

"Hey Tifa" Cloud had somehow approached. Tifa had been keeping an eye out for Cloud. She knew that Johnny and Cloud didn't get along well… Cloud was the loner of the town.

"Oh Cloud… you... ah." Tifa stuttered some.

"Cloud, long time no see man, how have you been." Johnny lent out his hand.

Cloud took it and nodded.

After a short bit of awkward silence Tifa cleared her throat, she didn't want Johnny to ask Cloud any questions regarding the past. It would cause trouble, especially when Cloud just… he... "Ah Cloud, would you mind leaving us alone for a bit? We haven't seen each other for a long time and sometimes it's fun to talk about old times for a change… I promise I won't be too late. So please don't worry" She smiled to him.

Cloud didn't seem to be very comfortable. Tifa knew how it came out and couldn't correct herself. It sounded like she was…

"Yeah… well just remember we're leaving tomorrow… Early" Cloud sounded disheartened as he walked off.

Johnny apparently was a little surprised, "Wow Tifa, I never… I mean..."

Tifa got up from her seat, "I'm sorry Johnny, another time" She ran after Cloud. Arriving at the villa she overheard Aeris and Cloud talking.

"Cloud… what do you think of me?"

"I… I don't know…" Tifa could hear him laugh a bit, "I… really like being with you."

"I really like being with you too Cloud. I mean. I like you."

There was some silence. Tifa could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks. Why did she say those things to Cloud when she was with Johnny… Why did she get so caught up on the past where she acted like such a jerk to Cloud? She wanted to protect him, from Johnny asking Cloud why he hadn't visited that five years ago however Tifa just couldn't bear with that, not now. Tifa entered the villa. She could feel Aeris's stare along with Clouds harsh one. Moving to her bed she ignored getting comfortable in some pajamas and went to bed in her clothes.

Barrett gently shook Tifa awake. The brown eyed woman groaned and sat up, her hair a tangled mess.

"Man you look like you didn't get no sleep."

Tifa yawned, she did get sleep, however it was nowhere near restful. Swinging her legs off of the bed she stood and made her way to the bathroom nearly tripping over a sun burnt Yuffie.

"Owie…. Not fun" Yuffie wept.

Tifa smiled some and moved on washing her face and brushing her teeth and hair. Once getting organized she decided to change into some less wrinkled clothing and meet up with the others. Cloud after all wanted to leave early. Her stomach did flips as she walked outside. She noticed Aeris and Cloud holding hands. Tifa bit her bottom lip, her gaze falling to the ground. Aeris seemed to notice her, her face holding a slight frown however her hand tightened around Clouds.

Tifa did her best to hold back her emotions. The better woman won; there was nothing more to it. However it didn't stop the pain in her heart. Perhaps she could talk to Cloud and tell him that he took things out of context. Perhaps she could even confess to him.

With renewed hope she held her head high and smiled. She would talk to Cloud and explain herself. There was nothing for her to be down about. Walking along the green fields to Mt. Coral she gave Red a pat on the head. He shook his mane and laughed slightly enjoying the feeling.

"Hey... uh Cloud?" Tifa called out.

Aeris and Cloud both looked back.

"Can I talk to you a sec?" She smiled some.

Aeris smiled and let go of Clouds hand.

Cloud sighed some falling back to talk with the brown haired woman, "What's up?"

"Well... About last night, it felt that you thought that there was something going on between Johnny and me."

"Well you pretty much told me that you wanted to be alone with him." Cloud seemed to be uncomfortable talking about this.

"Cloud whatever you are thinking I am not that… Cloud I lo-.. I like you so much…" Tifa's cheeks flushed.

Cloud seemed to be at a loss for words. "Tifa, I like you too…" he sounded down.

"But…" Tifa sighed allowing Cloud to finish.

"It's just that, Aeris and I…"

Tifa could see how hard it was for Cloud to say this to her. He liked her… however Aeris was with him now. Tifa smiled pushing the jealously and pain behind her. Placing a hand on his shoulder she giggled some. "Cloud its ok... I know. I just feel better telling you... I don't want you to think of me as some floozy."

"I don't think of you like that." Cloud groaned.

"Oh come on Cloud… It was written all over your face last night." Tifa rolled her eyes.

"Ah… Sorry" Cloud smiled to Tifa, "We are friends right?"

Tifa was surprised at Clouds question. "Of course we are Cloud… I wouldn't think of you any less than good friends."

Cloud nodded and moved back up to Aeris.

Yuffie jogged up to Tifa with a large grin on her face. "Heeeey… So you like him too?"

"Yuff? You have a crush on Cloud?" Tifa laughed some.

"He's tall, blonde, and handsome, come on what's not to like" Yuffie blushed some stretching her arms above her head.

"Isn't the phrase tall, dark, and handsome?" Tifa tilted her head some.

"There's nothing like that that I have seen, aside from Rude, Barrett, and Tseng. But they are all too old and so not handsome in my books" Yuffie stuck her tongue out.

"Hey I heard my name!" Barrett yelled from behind. "What chu saying about me?"

Tifa laughed as Yuffie turned walking backwards facing Barrett, "Nothing! Don't listen to us!"

Tifa turned to wave an apologetic hand to Barrett.

The dark man grumbled soon conversing with Red.

"So Pinkie has Cloud right now huh?" Yuffie sighed.

Tifa nodded, "It's not so bad… after all I am sure Cloud isn't the only tall blonde and handsome out there." She soon giggled.

Yuffie let out a smirk nodding. "Yeah your right" Yuffie ran off throwing her weapon off to the distance. The yelp of a wolf told Tifa that she killed an ambushing monster; however it wasn't for their sake. Yuffie ran off soon returning with an elemental materia.

Cloud had turned to the group; the mountain was in site however the sun was quickly setting. "Let's make camp here tonight. In the morning we can make our way to Mt. Coral. Yuffie, you gather wood, Red, mind hunting?" After the Lion nodded, Cloud continued, "Tifa, you and Aeris prepare to cook while Barrett and I set up the tents."

Tifa looked over to Aeris who smiled to her. The woman in pink looked lovely in the setting sun. Tifa let out a sigh as she begun to unpack Barrett's bag. His filled with Pots and cutlery for the party.

"I am happy you and Cloud are mutual again" Aeris moved to help.

"Yeah… I never thought that he would think I was loose or something like that" Tifa smirked some. It was weird to be talking to her about Cloud.

"He is torn right now… He likes the two of us; however at the site of you he has his presumptions." Aeris picked up a knife feeling the blade for sharpness.

"He is happy with you… I am happy for the both of you." Tifa wanted this conversation to end. She didn't need Aeris telling her what she looked like.

Aeris nodded catching that her long brunette friend didn't want to speak any further about Cloud.

Red had run back with several fish in his mouth. "This enough?" he panted winded from his run.

"This is great" Tifa beamed, she always liked fish.

"Thank you Red XIII" Aeris smiled.

The lion bowed his head some and moved over to light a campfire nearly catching the ninja girl on fire.

"Hey watch it will ya!" Yuffie checked herself to see if she was lit.

Aeris and Tifa laughed at the site scaling and deboning the fish. Aeris had the idea for a fish stew. Using the left over vegetables from Costa de Sol before they would spoil it turned out to be a delicious dish.

"Alright we will rotate the night watch… Aeris and Yuffie, will you take first watch?"

They both nodded mouths full of food.

"Barrett and I will take the second, and Red and Teef, you two will take the last."

Tifa nodded in agreement. It was only natural for her to take the last shift. Her and Red had great stamina and wouldn't fatigue as fast as the others.

Doing some final stretches after a filling dinner, Tifa decided the earlier she gets to bed the better. The others were still around the fire talking about their mission to stop Sephiroth. Red had already curled beside the men's tent and fallen asleep, the end of his tale letting off a gentle glow.

Getting into her sleeping bag she stared up at the ceiling of the tent. This day went by really well for her. She hoped that Cloud no longer thought of her as a sexual magnet and could really appreciate her as a friend like he did way back when. She couldn't help that she had large breasts and wide hips, that's just how she was made. Aeris was tall and slender with wide hips. And poor Yuffie was still growing being short and thin. She shook the thoughts out of her head and rolled to her side, slowly drifting off to sleep.

"Tifa... hey Tifa" Cloud gently woke Tifa, "It's your turn." Cloud carefully stepped out of the tent.

Tifa groaned and stretched her arms above her head. With her eyes still shut she walked out of the tent and reached for the sky for a better stretch.

"There had been a few monsters lurking around. It seems the fire has kept them away." Cloud briefed the last watch.

Red nodded moving to lay down by the fire. Tifa smiled to Cloud, "Thanks Cloud, you and Barrett get some good rest."

Tifa added wood to the fire. The crisp early morning air had caused her skin to goose bump. Tifa watched the flame before her attention was drawn to Red.

"Things had seemed tense in the group for a bit… Glad you were the one to smooth it over."

Tifa nodded some, "Yeah… It happens a lot. No matter whom I am with."

"I see." Red chuckled some, "I suppose its hard being a woman of your… erm..."

"Yeah yeah" Tifa laughed and waved off the Lion, she didn't need him to finish to understand what he was saying. "But I guess it has its perks" she wink to the lion.

"I could only imagine." He shook his head, the combs in his mane clinking some.

Tifa took a long sigh, "I do love my body… it has its perks… just I wish Cloud knew me better than that."

"Surely he must care for you a lot to have noticed. He doesn't seem the type to just assume."

"Yeah, perhaps you are right Red."

Red got up and stretches his back. "I will patrol the area… will you be alright here for a while?"

Tifa nodded with a smile, "Be careful out there."

Red left Tifa with her thoughts. Her mind was driven between the actions of the men that she come across. Reno was bold enough to approach while Cloud blushed when she was too close. She couldn't find herself in a serious relationship with the fiery red head Turk, not that she would ever consider him. The attention however was nice. She hoped that she was desirable in other areas aside from her body.

Her mind was then pulled back to Cloud. Perhaps things between him and Aeris wouldn't work out…Not that she wished ill on their relationship. Tifa held out her hands toward the campfire to warm them; the sky had begun to lighten, the suns rays would peek over the horizon and the far distant town of Costa Del Sol. She could hear rustling coming from the men's tent. Cloud came out running a hand through his spiky hair.

"Morning" Tifa spoke softly with a smile.

Cloud nodded with a small grunt. The small amount of sleep mustn't have been restful.

"You alright Cloud?" Tifa moved to her pack to begin brewing some tea.

"Barrett's snoring kept me up…"

Tifa let out a small laugh. Red had come back from his patrol and laid back down watching the two.

Tifa poured Cloud a cup of tea and he drank it carefully. After a slip he sighed in relaxation and smiled to Tifa. "Thanks."

Tifa felt a blush come to her face. Cloud was facing towards the rising sun, his eyes glistened a gorgeous blue.

"Anytime… do you want something to eat?"

"I think I will be set for a while. Barrett decided to cook up some food during our shift."

"I see... how about you Red?" Tifa questioned.

"I am good, thank you Tifa."

A pair of arms soon circled around Tifa's shoulders.

"Teeeefaaaaaa" A young woman's voice groaned. The ninja let go collapsing next to Tifa.

"Morning Yuffie, I am surprised you are up." She laughed seeing the small girls' hair sticking up in different places.

"Cloud can't we sleep in just once?" Yuffie groaned.

Aeris soon took a seat next to Cloud. Barrett was up also and putting away the tents.

"Sorry Yuff, but we need to make sure we catch back up with Sephiroth. Who knows what he has planned with the Promised Land. We need to stop him at all costs."

Yuffie groaned once more before helping herself to some tea.

"Tifa, Red, why don't you take a break while we clean up." Aeris smiled.

They both nodded and sat back to rest for the remainder of their camp.

They had easily reached the base of Mt. Coral; the group had decided to stick together as they climbed. Cloud wasn't sure on when or where they would once again meet up with Sephiroth, so keeping the team together was the most defensive attack strategy. Tifa didn't feel as nervous to meet with Sephiroth as she once did back on the ship. The battle with Jenova surprised her however she felt more prepared and ready for anything.

Walking up the path to the top of the mountain they had met up with a weary aged traveler.

"Hey" he called out to the group.

Cloud held his hand up in a greeting, "What is it?"

"You better take caution, it's pretty dangerous up there" he warned, "Some guy in a black cloak passed me not too long ago... suspect he dead by now with the monsters and the old tracks."

"Black cloak?" Aeris whispered.

"Sephiroth" Cloud nodded some

"We need to hurry on" Tifa looked to the blonde.

"Oh gawd can we just move on?" Yuffie was getting impatient.

"We should split up... with the old tracks we shouldn't travel together..." Cloud thought. "Barrett, and Aeris, you are with me. Tifa can you lead Red and Yuffie?"

Tifa hid the disappointment well, looking to Red and Yuffie she smiled, "Let's scout out ahead."

Both of her agile team mates went ahead first. Tifa reached the top of one of the hills to see a long series of tracks. A Mako reactor could be seen in the not too far distance.

"Coral was a mining town long ago…" Red sat down his tail wagging some. "Then they put in the Mako reactor."

"Coral... where have I heard that town before..." Tifa thought some.

"Let's go! There's bound to be plenty of treasure." Yuffie was eager to go.

With the ninja girl running ahead Tifa and Red took off. Yuffie was young and naïve, bound to get them into trouble.

Yuffie jumped off of a track she was running on coming across a draw bridge that was up.

"Aw man… I knew I should have taken the high road.

Tifa and Red had just jumped down a bit worn from catching up with Yuffie. "Don't ever run off like that. What if there was a monster?" Tifa took a breath.

"Sorry…" Yuffie sighed. "We will need to back track… I can't jump over to bring the bridge down."

Red inspected the area, "I too will be unable to make such a leap."

Tifa nodded turning around to see Cloud and the others soon approaching. "Oh! Cloud!" She waved over to the second party. "We can't go on until the bridge is down. Yuffie thinks there is a switch on the other side. Could you get it for us? We are pretty beat"

Aeris waved back, "Sure he can" she giggled. "Give us a second"

Cloud had run ahead and made his way to a hut containing the switch to lower the bridge.

Tifa jumped up with renewed energy. "Woo Cloud! Thanks!"

Red and Yuffie ran ahead of Tifa onto a very long rope bridge. Tifa held her breath some, the last time she was on a bridge like this she fell.

Crossing it after gathering up her strength she arrived at a very trashed up town.

"This is coral?" Yuffie scoffed, "They prolly don't have anything worth stealing here."

"Are you a ninja or a thief?" Red scratched behind his ear.

"Wah… I am just looking out for the group" she winked.

"This town… it's terrible" Tifa spoke softly. She led the way through glancing at the broken spirits of those who lived there. It was worse than the slums in her opinion. Many were digging through piles of scrap, searching for something to sell. One woman practically begged Tifa to buy something so that she may get food for her child. Tifa bit her lip, she couldn't afford to be giving her money away, and funds were short as it was for her.

"I… I am sorry..." Tifa bowed some.

They quickly made their way to the rope station. Tifa sat on a nearby bench and held her head with her hands. "I feel awful…"

"You are a very kind person Tifa... however you can't save the world from all troubles." Red sat next to her on the ground.

"I suppose… "She gave Red a pat on the head.

Yuffie sat next to Tifa already dreading the rope trolley.

Barrett had soon run up onto the platform, one of his eyes was swollen along with the side of his face.

"Barrett?" Tifa got up to get a closer look, however he folded his arms and seemed to not want to converse with anyone.

Aeris ran onto the platform and lastly Cloud.

"Barrett, what happened?" Aeris questioned her face full of concern.

"Sorry" Barrett shook his head some.

"What happened?" Cloud questioned.

"My hometown… use to be around here."

"What do you mean 'use to'?" Red got up joining the group.

"It ain't here no more… got buried... in just four years."

"But how could those people say those terrible things?" Aeris placed a hand on his forearm.

Tifa's eyes widened some with realization; did the town's people hit Barrett?

"It's my fault… all my fault" Barrett seemed to go into deep thought. "My hometown, Corel's always been a coal mining town. It was so dusty, but calm and so poor. We were a real small town. Then we heard about Mako Reactor… A woman offered to build one that would put us on the map… get us some money and live happily. No one used Coal anymore anyways. Dyne, a friend of mine and I were out of town for a few days after Shinra had built that damn Reactor… We came back and Corel was burned down. Them damn Shinra troops killed everyone… All the townspeople… All my relatives… Everyone… Everything…"

"Shinra? But why?" Cloud asked.

"There was an explosion at the reactor just after it was built. Shinra blamed the accident on the people. Said it was done by a rebel faction."

"That's… that's terrible" Tifa frowned picturing the incident in her mind… It was just like her hometown.

"Well… I guess that's true. But more than Shinra, I couldn't forgive myself. Never should have gone along with the building of that reactor."

"Barrett… you can't blame yourself. We were all fooled by the promises Shinra made back then." Tifa moved closer to her friend offering comfort.

"That's why… That's the damn reason I get so pissed off! Not only did they take advantage of me and everyone... but I lost my wife…Myrna."

The stations PA had sounded, "All aboard for Gold Saucer."

Cloud moved past Barrett placing a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, we need to go."

Barrett slumped in defeat, "Dyne… he was my best friend. We was close ever since we was kids." He followed Cloud onto the trolley.

Tifa placed her hands in her skirt pockets, "Barrett…. He never said a thing."

Aeris lowered her head in sorrow for the large man.

The mood however was soon broken by Yuffie, "I'm not sympathizing with him… He shouldn't have trusted Shinra." She reluctantly boarded the trolley.

"We… We should get on" Tifa looked to Aeris and Red who nodded following.

The ride up was quiet; the tension in the air was heavy. Soon they all heard the jolly beat of Gold Saucer.


	13. Reno and the Fortune Teller Cait

Hello and Happy Weekend from Miss Ti.

I hope all is well with my readers. I am currently very burnt and hoping that come Monday it will fade. Having to workout with stiff arms is never fun. However the event that led to my being burnt was very fun and I have enjoyed myself. Beach activites are always relaxing and it really seemed to put me into a writing mood, so here is the next chapter. It isn't as long as the others, however I wanted the next segment to be its own. I do hope you enjoy.

~Miss Ti

Tifa got off the trolley and looked around. Gold saucer was everything someone young could have hoped for. Built on a enormous tree, it was lit up bright with many different colors. Yuffie jumped around twirling as she sang along with the addicting tune. Cloud moved up to the gate and purchased tickets for all of them.

"Here, lets go on inside and see if we can find anything out about Sephiroth."

Tifa took her ticket, it was a bright colored green for a one time pass. Handing it to a man dressed as a Mog she couldn't help but not smile. Entering the main room she saw several slide pipes, each going off to a different area of Gold saucer.

"Wow! Let's have some fun." Aeris giggled, "Come on Barrett, cheer up!"

Barrett had his arms folded over, a look of anger upon his face, "I ain't in no cheery mood. Jes' leave me alone."

Aeris raised a brow folding her hands behind her back, "Really? Well that's too bad." She moved over to Cloud linking her arm with his.

Tifa moved in front of the two worried for Barrett, "Wasn't that a little harsh Aeris?" She whispered.

"It's best to just act normal" Aeris whispered back.

"You… you think so?"

The woman in pink nodded and moved back to stand in front of Barrett. "We are going to go play"

Barrett growled out angry and punched a nearby wall, "So go F^ #%^ play! Don't forget we are after Sephiroth!" Barrett grumbled and walked off jumping into a slide tube leading to the Wonder Square.

Aeries stood shocked at Barrett's reaction. Tifa could see her knees were weak, "I… I think he's mad."

Tifa sighed some shaking her head, "He will be fine… He seemed to be doing a little better with that out of the way now."

"I just wish we could just forget about everything going on and have some fun" Aeris walked back over to Cloud.

"We should continue to take caution" Red spoke up, "Sephiroth could be around."

"Where should we ask first?" Cloud questioned.

"Let's bet on.. I mean check out the Chocobo Square." Yuffie smiled wide.

Cloud moved first, Tifa jumped in after Aeris and Yuffie. Her stomach flipped as she slid down the tall slide. Landing on her feet she stepped out of the tunnel to find Cloud and the others. Shinra soldiers were in formation at the entrance of Chocobo square.

"Shinra soldiers? Here?" Red walked past Tifa to get a better look.

"What are they doing?" Yuffie asked.

"Shhh.." Cloud listened in closely.

"Attention!" The commander of the formation called, out, "Dismissed!"

The soldiers begun to casually walk around, several were heading their way.

"Everyone scatter. It looks like they are going around and trying to find either us or Sephiroth. Meet up at the parks center later." Cloud jumped into the Battle Square tube along with Aeris. Tifa ran and entered one labeled Ghost Hotel. Landing in the middle of a graveyard she glanced around suspiciously. It was like a scene out of a horror movie. A creepy haunted house in the background with a simulated storm making it glow. Tifa walked up the long dirt path onto the splintered porch. Just as she was about to open the double doors to enter, they mysteriously opened on their own. Inside the lobby was warm and less creepy. She glanced around to see if there was anyone she could talk to when a puppet hung by a noose dropped down. Tifa screamed in fear as she fell back into a pair of arms.

"Ah nothing like a beautiful woman falling into my arms"

Tifa looked up to see Reno winking down at her. She shrugged out of his grasp catching her breath, "Reno! What… what are you doing here?"

"Oh just getting some R&R… I could be asking you that however… Aren't you suppose to be hugging a tree?" he grinned placing his hands into his pocket.

"R&R…" Tifa scoffed at his comments, "When aren't you relaxing." She moved further into the lobby glancing around.

"He's not here." Reno followed, however moved past Tifa to sit on a sofa when she stopped in her tracks.

"What? Who? I never-"

"Come on its plain as day. You are here looking for Sephiroth."

Tifa grumbled, "Well where is he then?" she glanced about more avoiding his face. Tifa couldn't help but smile at an advisement to Turtle's Paradise.

"Hm… I could tell ya, but I think I will charge full price for that attitude of yours" He laughed.

Tifa huffed… men, all the same, "I don't need your help"

"Aw come on. All I am asking is one date" he flashed his best smile.

Tifa couldn't help but flush at his actions. Sure she was free for the moment and Cloud was now with Aeris… but to get with a Turk? That was just crazy! "Reno there is no way-"

"No way we could be together yada ya." He finished her sentence, "Just a fling, nothing more.. lets catch a play or get on the rollercoaster. Then I will tell you anything you need to know"

Tifa hesitated a moment before letting out a sigh. Reno clapped his hands together happy that she agreed however not verbally and ran up to take Tifa by the arm. He pulled her along and entered the Event tube. Tifa couldn't help but smile at this grown man acting like a boy with his first date.

At the Event, Tifa gasped slightly at the site of the large auditorium where the play would take place. Reno took Tifa's hand in his and led her to a long bench where they would sit and watch.

"So is this the part where you do the yawn and reach?" Tifa glanced over to Reno as he was about to stretch.

"Ahh… you seem well experienced in the ways of move making" Reno smirked and placed his arm around Tifa's waist.

Tifa rolled her eyes as she was pulled closer to Reno. Looking around she could see the event auditorium was filled with couples.

"Reno, what are you really doing here?" Tifa whispered as the play begun.

"I told ya babe, it's just for some rest." He seemed at ease around Tifa.

"Come on you really expect me to believe that?"

"No… but it is the truth" Tifa could feel Reno's hand sliding down to rest more on her hip.

Tifa huffed and folded her arms looking around more. She would admit that Reno was one of the better looking men in the room. Her cheeks flushed some as she leaned more into him. His chest was warm and comfortable. His height compared to hers allowed Tifa to easily rest her head in the crook of his shoulder. She felt Reno moan some enjoying her body against his.

Tifa didn't know exactly why she was cuddling up against him, however it felt nice… it felt really nice to be close and to actually feel… can she say it? Loved by someone. Even if Reno was just going to use her in the end, she wanted to pretend for this moment.

The play was soon over. Reno got up and helped Tifa from her seat like a gentleman.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" Reno smiled ruffling up his hair.

"No I suppose… now will you tell me?" Tifa smirked.

"Ah-ah, we are not done yet" Reno smirked as he walked Tifa out to the main lobby. Tifa looked around carefully for the others. Last thing she needed was them thinking she was betraying, or he was kidnapping. "Let's play some games.. they got a cool snowboarding one" Reno jumped into the wonder tube.

Tifa followed reluctantly, as soon as she came out she was pulled from behind, her back against a tree as Reno looked past her.

"Re-Reno!" Tifa grew angry. She tried to push past the red head however he stopped her with a 'Shh'.

Tifa tried to turn and look to where he was however she didn't need to. She soon heard the voices of Cloud and Aeries.

"Can you only read the future?"

"Nya you kidding? I can find missing things, people, you name it!" another voice spoke out.

"Then can you tell me where a man named Sephiroth is?" Aeris asked.

"Sephiroth? Right here it goes!"

Tifa furrowed her eyebrows at Reno; was he using her to get to Cloud?

Reno looked down at her and smirked shaking his head. He leaned in close causing Tifa's eyes to widen in shock.

"Hey, I just don't want them to see us together." Reno whispered. She felt his lips gently brush her ear causing Tifa to blush.

"Ordinary luck. It will be an active fortune. Give into the good will of others, and something big'll happen after summer." Tifa could hear Cloud recite.

"Lemme try again" the voice spoke out.

Reno slowly moved, his hands circling around Tifa's back. She held her breath as Reno's lips pressed against her cheek.

"Be careful of forgetfulness… Your lucky color is blue?" Cloud scoffed.

"Wait, wait give me another chance!"

"Reno" Tifa breathed heavy. The chance of being discovered together made her heart pound heavy. To feel him pressed against her, gently caressing her and planting gentle kisses… Was this what would it be like with Cloud? Tifa felt a burning in her stomach as she moved her head, her lips meeting his. She could feel Reno smile against her kiss. He tasted like those candy cigarettes and vodka, the combination strange yet addicting.

"What you pursue will be yours, but you will lose something dear" Cloud recited.

"I don't know if that's good or bad… this is the first time I ever got something like this. Well then shall we go?" Whomever Cloud was talking to must have been a fortune teller. Tifa however could care less at the moment.

Reno broke the kiss once again looking past Tifa in the direction of Cloud, Aeris and the other.

Tifa raised her hands to feel her face. It was hot, no doubt red also.

"What are you talking about?" Aeris spoke out.

Tifa managed to turn around, her backside pressing again Reno. The Turk let out a laugh his hand moving to brush Tifa's hair as he continued to spy. Tifa could now see whom Cloud and Aeris were talking to. It was a small cat with a cape and crown. He sat on a large Mog which held several fortune telling strips. Surely this thing was mechanical and controlled elsewhere.

"As a fortune teller, I can't help but think about this. If I don't see what it leads to, I won't be able to relax. That is why I am going with you"

"What are we going to do Cloud?" Aeris questioned.

"Names Cait Sith, I am coming with you guys no matta what you say" the small cat let out a grin.

"Well Cait, we need to continue going around.. if you want to tag along you better keep up."

Tifa shook her head some, their party was growing bigger. Tifa turned to see Reno staring down at her.

"What was all that for?" she quickly flushed thinking back on their kiss.

"Just a small kiss.. you looked like you wanted one." He grinned back to her.

"I?" Tifa scoffed and moved out into the open. Cloud and the others gone to a different area of Gold Saucer.

"Aw come on, you know you enjoyed it" Reno smirked walking past Tifa. He turned and glanced at the woman in front of him before his eyes looked past her. "Well… later" Reno turned and begun to walk away from her.

"What? Later! But you need to answer my questions!" Tifa moved to grab Reno however her arms were quickly bound. Several large robots grabbed her and were dragging her off. "Ah! What? What's going on? Reno you set me up!" Tifa yelled.

"Nothing of the sort babe…" Reno smirked waving at Tifa, "Until next time."

Tifa was pulled through the tube into the battle arena. Dragged through the building she noticed several bodies covered by sheets. Bullet holes riddled the walls.

A very strong large man in a gold Speedo glared at her. "For your crimes, you are hereby banned from Gold Saucer.

"Banned? Crimes? What did I do?" Was kissing in public a crime? Something bad happened and she had a feeling she was set up.

"I have no need to listen to murders" The large man spoke leaving the room Tifa was dragged to. It contained a large hole, a small light on the end.

Tifa panicked, "Wait? Murder? I didn't murder anyone!" Tifa yelled as she was thrown in. She screamed reaching out to grab at anything. Heat rush at her back as she continued to fall, and the light had nearly blinded her as she exited the tube. She saw the Gold saucer above her and below her the desert surrounding it. The last thing she remember was a sharp pain and the feeling of having her breath taken away as she hit the ground.


	14. Dyne and Gongaga

Hello all, I will be updating early this week. Well 1 day at least. I have a festival tomorrow, and I volunteered to help run a game booth, should be lots of fun! We even have a firework show in the end.

A very special thank you to Numinous-Alqua, I really appreciate your review, I was timid with the chapter however decided that I would just run with it. =^^=

Please feel free to review/critique. It is very much appreciated and I feel that my writing style is very much improving. Before I know it, my story will be complete, I will be starting my own fresh ideas, and perhaps even tweak this one.

Thank you again for taking the time to read this story.  
~Miss Ti

"Tifa, you alright?" Yuffie dabbed a cool cloth on her head.

Tifa groaned sitting up. She felt like death, looking to her side she noticed an empty phoenix down… So she was just knocked out.

"Easy Teef, you had a pretty harsh fall..." Cloud spoke out.

"We all did…" Red sighed licking his paw.

"Where are we?" Tifa looked around. They were in a much shambled house.

"A desert prison… Corel Prison" Cait spoke leaning against Mog.

"A desert prison?" Cloud questioned.

"Yeah, a natural prison in the middle of the desert… surrounded entirely by quicksand. I heard that once you get in, you never get out… however there is one special exception.

Tifa looked around her surroundings, the people in gold saucer, they were shot… and Barrett was nowhere to be found… did he…

"What is the exception?" Cloud asked.

"You need the permission of Mr. Coates; he runs the joint down here. You will then enter a Chocobo race and if you win… you are free."

"I talked to that dork" Yuffie sighed, "He's not letting anyone race…"

Barrett soon walked in surprised to see them all. "Didn't I tell you not to come here?"

Tifa was confused, she watched as Barrett raised his gun arm in Cloud's direction. Did he lose it?

Barrett fires and the bullets going flying past hitting a man that had snuck up on Cloud from a broken window.

"Didn't want none of ya to get involved." Barrett sighs shaking his head.

"We are already involved in this" Aeris smiles some batting some dirt off of her pink dress.

"Yeah… We're all are involved Barrett, we are a team" Tifa added.

"You guys…" Barrett smiled some.

"I heard that the murders at the battle arena were done by a man with a gun arm…. Was that you?" Red questioned.

Barrett shakes his head, "There's another…. Another man that got a gun grafted inta one of his arms. It was four years ago. I remember I was on my way home from visiting a Mako Reactor being built… the village head ran to get us, Dyne and me. Said that the village was being attacked… We tried to make it back, to protect the village, however we were cut off. I was hit in the knee. Dyne helped me and we hid, however our cover wasn't good. That crazy B!$#% Scarlett of Shinra fired at us… Dyne took a bullet for me and nearly fell down a cliff… I caught him and tried to pull him up. However they kept firing.. getting our arms. I lost my grip and watched him fall... From then on I couldn't use my right arm no more… I was depressed for a while but then I threw away my artificial arm and got this gun grafted in…. Got a new right arm to get revenge on Shinra, who took everything away…. Back then, I heard the doc say there was another man who got the same operation as me… but his arm was the left.

"But wasn't Dyne's injury the same as yours?" Aeris questioned.

"Yeah, that's right… he was deceived by Shinra too… Would he join us?" Tifa questioned.

"Wouldn't bet on it… I gotta 'pologize to Dyne before I can rest in peace…. An' that's why I gotta go alone from here on."

"Do whatever you want… is that what you want to hear?" Cloud sighed, "Well, I can't let you do it… Because if you die on me… frankly I am going to have nightmares."

Barrett let out a small chuckle along with the others.

"Barrett, this isn't the end." Aeris smiled.

"Weren't you going to save the Planet?" Tifa tilted her head some.

"Shit Tifa, you oughta know by now…" Barrett sighed.

"That's all right. I am not so different from you." Tifa's smiled.

"That's easier to understand... It's you Barrett." Aeris sighed.

"So there it is, Barrett, you and Tifa are with me."

Tifa nodded surprised that Cloud chose her.

"You sure are all acting pretty heroic, considering we are not making any money on this..." Yuffie sighed.

Tifa exited the house and looked around her. It was surly a desert; hot, dry, and lonesome. There were several men outside hiding, and others laid out dead. She would need to be careful to not over stress her body into heat exhaustion.

Barrett led the way, like the good ol' times way back when they were hitting off Midgar's Mako reactors. They traveled in silence listening to the wind blow an empty tune across the sand. They noticed a large trash pile in the distance. Gunfire sounded from it and Barrett instantly took off. Tifa and Cloud ran after Barrett for support. They reached a large cliff surrounded by crushed cars. A man with a purple bandana sat against the trash, firing his gun arm into the sky.

"Dyne…" Barrett signaled the others to stay back. Tifa nodded, this was something that he needed to do. She stood next to Cloud holding her arm watching quietly.

"Now… that is a voice I haven't heard in years… A voice I will never forget…" Dynes voice sounded dry. He stood and limped up to get a better look at Barrett.

"I always hoped I'd be able to see you again someday… I knew you were alive somewhere… we had the same operation." Barrett smiled sounding happier, "Listen Dyne-" Barrett approached his old friend however Dyne aimed his gun arm at him, stopping him in his tracks.

"What's that?... I hear her voice."

Cloud and Tifa looked to one another confused. Even Barrett looked confused as to what Dyne was talking about.

"I hear her voice, Eleanor's voice… begging me… she's begging me not to hate your rotten guts!" Dyne spit out with venom in his voice.

"I know I was stupid… I am not asking you to forgive me... but... what are you doing in this place? Why are ya killin those that ain't even involved? Why?" Barrett treaded his words carefully.

"Why? The hell do you care for? Are the people killed going to understand why? Are the people of Corel going to understand just hearing Shinra's excuses? I don't care what the reason is. All they give us are artillery and stupid excuses…. What's left is a world of despair and emptiness..."

Tifa frowned, it was clear that Dyne was really hurting. How could Barrett seem so carefree…

"You still want to hear 'why'? … alright… fine… I will tell you" Dyne's gun arm started to warm up, "Cause I want to destroy everything…." He glanced to his side shooting a crushed car, "The people of this city." He turns shooting between Cloud and Tifa, "The city itself..." He then turned to shoot by Barrett's head, "This whole damned world!" he clutched his leg and turned away from Barrett. "I got nothing left in this world… Corel, Eleanor…. Marlene…"

"Dyne… Marlene… Marlene's still alive" Barrett sounded weakened to Tifa's ears.

Dyne turned wide eyed at Barrett.

"I went back to town… I thought she was gone for sure. That is why I wanted to be by her side till the end. That's when I found her…. I found Marlene." Barrett smiled, "She's in Midgar. Let's go see her together alwright?"

Dyne looked off to the ground, "So… she's still alive… All right Barrett, I guess that means I have to fight you."

"What?" Barrett stepped back shocked, "Fight me? Why?"

Dyne's eyes seemed dull, "Eleanor is all by herself… I've got to take Marlene to her."

Tifa's eyes watered, she wanted to go help Barrett, however Cloud held her back.

"Dyne… are you insane?" Barrett gritted his teeth.

"Marlene wants to see her mom, don't she?" Dyne begun to fire at Barrett.

The large man dove to the side, a bullet grazing his arm. Clutching the wound he yelled back to Dyne, "Stop Dyne! I can't die yet!"

Dyne tilted his head to the side some, "Oh yeah? Well my life's been over ever since then!" He fired again, the bullet ricocheting off of the crushed car Barrett was hiding behind.

"Stop it! I don't wanna fight you!"

Barrett charged out and fired several rounds. Dyne too fired back. Each stood their ground taking bullets in their leg's, arm, and sides. Dyne finally gave in and collapsed to his knees.

"Urgh…" he looked to Barrett who approached. Dyne however held up his gun arm. "Back!" he threatened. Nearly stumbling up, he limped back and leaned against the wall of crushed cars. "It… it wasn't just my arm… back then… I lost something irreplaceable. I don't know where I went wrong…"

"Dyne… I don't know either man. Is this the only way… We can resolve this..." Barrett's voice pleaded with Dyne.

"I told you… I … I want to destroy everything. Everything… This crazy world… Even me."

"An' what 'bout Marlene? What's gonna happen to her?"

"Think about it Barrett… how old was Marlene back then… even if I go to her now. She wouldn't know me. And what's more… Barrett… These hands are a little too stained to carry Marlene anymore…"

Tifa's eyes watered. Here was Marlene's real father… and he for all these years thought she was dead. Finally they both meet, his daughter was alive… but he wanted to take her life, along with his own so that they could be with her mother… his wife. Cloud had his arm around Tifa in comfort. She didn't even realize when the blonde had gotten so close to her.

"Barrett…" Dyne pulled a necklace off and tossed it over to the dark man, "Give that pendant to Marlene… it was… Eleanor's."

Barrett picked it up from the ground and nodded to Dyne, "Alwright…"

"Wow…" Dyne smiled, blood slipping from his mouth, "Marlene's already … 4..."

He slowly moved closer to the edge of the cliff. "Barrett, don't ever make... Marlene cry."

Dyne?" Barrett looked on in horror.

Dyne held out his arms and leaned back, falling backwards over the edge.

"DYNE!" Barrett ran to the edge falling to his knees. "Dyne! No… me an' you were the same!" Barrett sniffed some, "My hands… they ain't any cleaner... I shouldn't be able to carry... Marlene either..." Barrett sobbed some and then let out a yell in agony. Tifa flinched at his pain. Turning to Cloud she wrapped her arms around him as he did her for comfort.

"Gaia… why is there so much pain and death whenever Shinra get involved?" She whispered to Cloud.

Cloud gently ran his hand down her hair. "I don't know Tifa… but we are going to stop all the pain... We will stop the killings."

She could feel her heartbeat heavy as he held her. The feeling in his arms felt right, not like it did when she was held by Reno. Clouds arms were soft yet strong, she felt safe and warm. She sighed into the crook of his neck before pulling away. He smiled as he looked down to her eyes. Returning the smile she got on her tippy toes and placed a small kiss on Cloud's cheek, "Thanks Cloud. Let's get Barrett back."

Tifa waited patiently for Cloud. He had to win a Chocobo race in order to free everyone from the desert prison. She watched as Yuffie paced angrily.

"Why does he get to have all the fun? Why can't we all race?"

Aeris smiled some to the younger girl, "Well with so many of us it would take a long time. And besides we should treasure this break."

"If you want to call it break. This place is too hot!" Yuffie fell back against a dusty old couch.

"Would you jes' be quiet? All your noise is aggregating." Barrett huffed.

"Nya… My circuits are cooking" Cait fanned himself with his weapon, a small megaphone.

Red panted trying to keep cool; occasionally he licked his dry nose.

A rumble could be heard out of the house. Tifa got up to investigate and smiled, "Oh wow! It's a buggy!"

Aeris moved and stood next to Tifa looking out. "Oh wow, that's brand new!"

"Is that guy… waving to us?" Tifa squinted her eyes looking at the driver.

They moved out of the house to the Buggy. Other criminals of the desert prison hid and looked from afar.

"Dio is most sorry for the way he has treated you all. He never would have thought that you weren't the ones for the murders." The man bowed before them, "in apology for his rashness, he has offered this as a gift. She's the Buggy 4000, able to ride over deserts, quicksand, and rivers."

"Ugh…" Yuffie already looked green.

Aeris stepped in front of the girl, hiding her from offending the man with the gift. "Thank you so much!"

Tifa laughed some moving to inspect the buggy.

"Teef get in!" Barrett got into the driver's seat, "I just phoned Cloud and he will meet us outside the desert"

Tifa nodded getting into the back seat. Red and Yuffie climbed into the hatchback like area. Aeris had shotgun.

The ride was surprisingly smooth. Tifa sighed in relief at the cool air the Buggy had.

Cloud was waiting outside for the others. He entered the backseat allowing Barrett the pleasure to drive a while longer.

"Dio the saucer owner said that he saw a man cloaked in black head over to Gongaga."

"South it is!" Barrett turned the wheel.

Tifa smiled as they made quick travel. A day's walk turned into a three hour drive, and best of all, no stopping to fight monsters.

Cloud stepped out of the car looking to the city of Gongaga.

Tifa sighed as she viewed upon the distant town. It looked even more roughed up than Coral… The reactor that was placed there had exploded long ago. Shinra never bothered to fix it or have it removed.

Aeris seemed a bit nervous as she walked alongside with Cloud.

"Be careful, looks like we need to pass this wooded area in order to get to the town." Cloud looked back to the group.

They silently moved on, Cloud held up his hand to halt the others. He heard talking in the distance.

Tifa instantly knew the voice, "Hey, Rude… who do you like?"

They could see Reno and Rude talking from past the trees. Rude seemed flustered, not wanting to answer. Tifa clenched her fist in anger, they were sitting there talking about women? Then... what was it that they had just the other day? She silently sighed, how could she let it get to her head that much. After all she knew that they wouldn't be able to make something happen. A Turk and a AVALANCHE member could never be together. Far too different.

"Come on… what is there to be embarrassed about?" Reno grinned, "Who do you like?"

"….Tifa" he finally spoke softly.

Tifa flushed as Reno nodded in agreement, "Hmmm... I can see that... Poor Elena though. I think she likes ya"

"No, she likes Tseng." Rude corrected.

"I never knew that" Reno laughed. "But Tseng likes that Ancient girl."

Aeris was next to flush embarrassed.

"What are they talking about?" Cloud looked over at the red faced girls.

Tifa rolled her eyes; sometimes he could be so dense.

"It's so stupid…" A female voice spoke out.

The group turned to see Elena red in the face shaking her head, "They always talk about who they like or don't like… but" She sighed a smile gracing her lips, "Tseng is different.." Elena soon snapped out of her daydream, she let out an embarrassed 'oh!'. Running past the group to Reno and Rude she pulled on their suit sleeves, "They're here! They're here!" She pointed into the trees where they hid.

Cloud and the others moved out of hiding into the open.

"Hmm... then its time them" Reno took out his nightstick. It sparked purple buzzing to life. "Rude… don't go easy on them even though they're girls" Reno winked to Tifa's direction.

Tifa held up her fists a small growl coming out. She hoped that her cheeks didn't betray her and flush in front of the red haired Turk.

"Don't worry… I'll do my job."

Elena ran away from both parties, "I'm counting on you, I'm reporting to Tseng!"

Red and Cloud both lunged forward to attack. Reno blocked Cloud's attack with his nightstick. The electrified metal conducted through the sword and burned Clouds hands causing him to jump back shaking out the numbness his fingers felt.

Tifa dodged Red as he skidded past her. He let out a yowl in pain; Aeris moved over to the lion creature and begun to cast her Cure 2 Materia.

Tifa looked at who had hit Red and saw Rude, casually adjusting his tie. Tifa clenched her fist and let out a yell running after Rude. He easily caught a dozen of her rage filled punches. Tifa was not paying attention to her strikes, more concentrated on fury trying to land a hit.

Rude smirked some and threw an uppercut, hitting Tifa in the ribs. She felt her breath leaving her, the cracking sound letting her know that she was in trouble.

Tifa fell back onto her non injured side, "Gah! Gaia…" she groaned.

Cait acted fast, throwing dice at Rude cracking his sunglasses. The Turk seemed to back off his attack on Tifa.

"Teef!" Barrett gritted his teeth letting out an array of bullets in Rude's direction, helping Cait draw back Rude.

"Hang on Tifa" Aeris was finishing up working on Red.

Rude took several bullets to the chest and some thwacks from the large Mog; however they didn't seem to be doing any damage. The ninja girl ran up behind Rude and ran her Shrunken up his back tearing his jacket. Tifa noticed a blue vest falling from the man; it was what had been stopping Barrett's and Cait's attacks. Damn new Shinra technology.

"Got ya now bastard!" Barrett grinned as Yuffie flipped over Rude. As soon as she was clear he begun to fire again.

Cloud was carefully dodging Reno's swings concentrating on casting Fire. He didn't want to risk getting electrified again. While Reno was too busy on Cloud, he didn't see the Lion coming at his arm with the baton. Red bit down on Reno's arm shaking his head forcing Reno to drop his weapon.

Aeris moved over to Tifa and placed her hand on her injured side. Aeris let out a prayer tapping into her Healing Wind.

Cloud unleashed his Fire materia, the flames scorching Reno's clothes and even singeing some of his wild hair.

"Geh! Not the hair!" Reno tugged at his arm trying to free it from Red's jaws.

Rude quickly jumped in, before he could manage an attack on Red, the lion jumped away spitting out a piece of the Turk's coat.

"Let's get out of here." Reno held his arm gritting his teeth.

Rude the ever silent checked the time and nodded.

"We may be retreating but…. We're still victorious" Reno posed before running off. Rude followed after adjusting his sunglasses.

Aeris helped the freshly healed Tifa up. Batting the dirt from her skirt Tifa looked to the group. For just two Turks they put up one hell of a fight.

"How interesting… They were definitely waiting for us" Red licked at his paw.

"I don't like this!" Yuffie searched through the bulletproof vest Rude was wearing, no doubt to find some spoils from the fight, "It's like the whole world knows where we're going."

"They followed us… but there weren't any signs of it. Then that means…." Cloud thought

"A spy?" Barrett looked to Cloud.

"You don't think there's a spy… do you Cloud?" Cait jumped back onto his Mog transport his toy body clawing up like a real cat. "Nya I hate this. Now everyone's going to blame me because I'm new." He sat on Mog's head in a pout.

"I don't even want to think that there is a spy… I trust everyone." Cloud looked over at the group. "Come on, let's keep moving."

They all nodded in agreement and move down a worn beaten path. It led straight to the ruins of a Mako reactor.

"A ruined reactor…" Cloud looked over the mess.

"Shinra can't even pick up its own garbage eh?" Barrett folded his arms.

Red turns his head, "A helicopter approaches..."

Tifa looked along with several others "We need to hide!" she ran into the rubble, hiding behind a large burnt sheet of metal. Yuffie had joined her in hiding.

The helicopter landed and a blonde woman dressed in a skin tight red dress stepped out. Her dark nylon covered legs were long, especially in a pair of five inch stilettos.

"It's Scarlet… head of Shinra weapon development" she could hear Barrett say from his hiding spot.

Tseng soon stepped out of the helicopter and observes the area. He walked closer to the Mako reactor and pulled what appeared to be a burnt ball. He shows it to Scarlet whom scoffs hitting it out of his hand.

"Hmph… This isn't any good either." She wipes her hand clean on Tseng's jacket. "You only get junky materia from junky reactors."

Tifa could feel Yuffie's excitement from hearing about materia.

"This reactor's a failure… What I'm looking for is big, large, huge materia... Do you see any?"

"…No I haven't seen it. I will get on it right away." Tseng brushes the dirt from his jacket.

"Please" Scarlet smiled, "We could make the ultimate weapon if only we had some."

"I just can't wait." Tseng didn't sound too happy.

"With Hojo gone, the weapon development section has been getting a bigger budget." She embraced herself as if in thought of being surrounded by gold.

"I envy them." Tseng said honestly.

"But, even if we make the perfect weapon, could that stupid Heidegger even use it?" Scarlett rolled her eyes.

Tseng seemed agitated.

"Oh… Sorry, I forgot he was your boss" Scarlet let out a shrill laugh. Tifa could see she was mocking Tseng by her posture. "Let's go" she moved and boarded the helicopter with Tseng. After the engines purred back to life they soon left.

Yuffie quickly jumped out picking up the dirty ball and quickly begun to clean it. "Junky materia? Bah! It's a summon materia!" she held the ball close to her. "Don't worry, that nasty lady doesn't know how special you are!"

"Big, large, huge materia?" Cloud came out of hiding with Aeris and Cait. "An ultimate weapon? The perfect weapon? Just what is Shinra up to?"

"There doesn't seem to be anything else here." Barrett told the group.

Cloud nodded, "Alright then lets head over to the village and see if we can pick up where Sephiroth is."

Tifa followed rubbing her sore side. She walked in the back with Barrett.

"So that was her then? The one who destroyed Coral?" she softly asked.

Barrett gave out a shrug, "She had a part in it… she carried the order is all I know… and she's the one who took my arm. Oh how I would like to get revenge on her."

Tifa smiled some looking forward. The village wasn't far.

Cloud moved in front of the group, "Let's restock and ask the townsfolk, everyone will split into groups of two." Cloud looked over the group; his journey was now picking up all sorts of different people. "Tifa and Yuffie, you both go and check out the item shop. Barrett, go with Cait and see to the weapons. Red and Aeris, you both are with me."

Everyone nods and splits. Tifa moved into the small shack where items were sold. Yuffie moved ahead and looked over the Materia section. Tifa was sure to watch over Yuffie and make sure she didn't steal anything. These poor people have seen so much death, pain and suffering… They didn't need stolen goods on top of it. She quickly restocked; the shop owner hadn't heard anything about a man in a black cloak. Tifa sighed and moved outside. She noticed Aeris was pale; Cloud was trying to console her while Red gave them privacy.

"He was my first love…" Aeris confessed.

Tifa listened in closely.

"Zack…. SOLDIER First Class… Just like Cloud."

Tifa squinted her eyes some deep in thought. That name… why did it sound so familiar… wait… Tifa nearly dropped the goods she bought in shock; he face no doubt matched Aeris's. Zack… he was the one who.

"Tifa? You alright?" Yuffie questioned taking a bite out of an apple… the crunch drew attention to them.

Cloud looked Tifa with concern. "Tifa?"

Aeris too looked confused. "Did you know Zack?"

Tifa quickly shook her head, "N, No I don't know him."

Cloud furrowed his brows some, "Your face tells me differently."

Tifa swallowed hard, she held on tighter to her bag of goods, "I told you, I don't!" she said with a snap.

"Al… alright" Cloud backed some.

Tifa's eyes threatened to water however she blinked them back. "Cloud… you must have been really something to have made it into SOLDIER. I really respect you." She tried to change the topic.

"I worked really hard for it." Cloud smiled.

Tifa's chest felt heavy, the guilt continuing to build, "Yeah…. Hard work pays off huh…"

Aeris gave a look of concern to Tifa. Barrett and Cait approached and passed out new weapons, courteously from Cait whom saved his tips from fortune telling.

"So it seems like Sephiroth wasn't here… lets continue down the road." Cloud gave his new blade a swing.

Tifa nodded with the others. Making their way back to the buggy Tifa couldn't help but feel that she should just run away from this. Cloud had Aeris, now to take care of him right? So was there a need to continue on aside from fighting Sephiroth?

Tifa sat in the backseat with Barrett. She could hear Yuffie groan in the back while Red and Cait let out a laugh.


	15. Son of Seto

Thank you for waiting. I am sorry to only give you one update last weekend, however my laptop had to undergo some repairs. Apparently my brand of laptop is notorious for the power cord not plugging into the system firmly.

Oh well, problem has been solved for now. As always, all review are welcome. I do hope you enjoy this chapter. I very much liked writing it. Please feel free to let me know what character is your favorite, perhaps you may find more of it in the future. ^^

Thank you for taking the time to read this story.

Miss Ti

Cloud and his group passed a rocky area when the buggy suddenly halted to a stop.

"What the?" Cloud tried to turn the buggy on again however it failed. "A breakdown? Now?"

Tifa stepped out of the buggy along with everyone else. Yuffie jumped around happy to not have to ride such a machine anymore.

"Well… can we fix it?" Aeris asked. The sun was starting to set.

"Doesn't look like it… I am no mechanic…" Cloud sighed.

Red seemed to be in a good mood from what Tifa saw. His tail was wagging more than usual.

"There is a town! Let's see if they have any info" Barrett pointed out.

Tifa looked up at the mountain that the town was on. At the very top was a large observatory.

They climbed up to see a guard at the entrance of town; however before they could approach him Red ran up and jumped onto the man. Tifa gasped ready to take action however she noticed that he was licking the guard face.

The guard laughed and got up pushing Red off of him.

"I am home!" Red smiled big.

"Nanaki! You're safe! Come on and say hello to Bugenhagen." The gate keeper moved aside.

Red ran into the town getting waves from everyone around.

"Nanaki?" Cloud questioned.

Tifa turned to loud breathing coming from behind. Barrett had made it up at last. "Man… I hate this more than those damn stairs… So this is Cosmo Canyon."

"Cosmo… Canyon? I wonder if there's any relation to the planet or the Ancients." Aeris thought.

"Red seems different doesn't he?" Tifa asked Yuffie.

The ninja however had her mind on one thing and one thing only, "hmmm… I wonder if they have any materia." She grinned.

"Cosmo Canyon…" Cait held up his hand to shield his eyes from the setting sun.

The gatekeeper smiled to Cloud and his party, "Welcome to Cosmo Canyon! People from all over the world gather here to seek the study of planet life."

Barrett let out a cheer, "Yeah! I always wanted to come here. Thank you!" He ran up and embraced the gatekeeper.

"Ummgah!" the Gatekeeper pushed the large man away to finish, "Well um… I am sorry but we are at full capacity… I am afraid I can't let you in."

Barrett's face fell, Tifa even felt disappointed that they wouldn't be able to see Red's hometown.

"But they helped me when I was on the road…" Red spoke from an elevated path. The gatekeeper turned to see Red, "Please let them in."

The gatekeeper nodded and moved aside, "Oh is that so? Well if you helped our Nanaki, then please come in."

"Who is Nanaki?" Cloud questioned as Yuffie and Barrett ran inside.

"Nanaki is Nanaki. That is his name"

Tifa walked with Cloud and Aeris into the town. It made Tifa feel very at home. Red pounced down happy as a kitten in front of Cloud. "Here is where I was… I mean" Red cleared his throat calming himself down some, "This is my hometown. My tribe were protectors of those who appreciated this beautiful canyon and the planet. My brace mother fought and died here, but my cowardly father left her…. I am the last of my race."

"Cowardly father?" Cloud questioned.

Red nodded. Far above a voice rang out. However aged, it was still loud to call down from its high point.

"Hay! Nanaki! You're home!"

Red's tail wagged happily as he went through a cave leading up to the highest point of Cosmo Canyon. "Coming Grandpa!"

Aeris smiled to Tifa as Cloud followed, "Let's rest for a bit. There are some things I want to find out about anyway."

"That's perfect" she agreed. She made her way back down to the gate of Cosmo Canyon. Getting a better look she noticed a large bon fire in the middle. Beyond that was a pub. Both girls made their way inside. Tifa sighed at the scents of lager. Finding a seat; they ordered a round and sipped happily.

"Maybe there are some people here that know about the Promised Land and the Ancients."

Tifa nodded, "I wouldn't doubt it. From what Barrett told me when we first met was that this place held all the knowledge about the planet. Surely they would know about the Cetra."

Aeris nodded her face souring a bit as she sipped her drink.

Tifa couldn't help but laugh. She soon looked up in thought, "You know… I wonder what's happened to Red..." Tifa giggled, "He's like an excited little boy at Christmas."

Aeris nodded with a laugh. "He does seem like a little kid."

Tifa felt silence come between them, "So… how are things between you and Cloud?"

Aeris smiled softly, "They are well… I was worried how he would have felt after I told him about Zack."

"Ah, I wouldn't have worried. Cloud isn't like that." Tifa shook her head some.

"It's so strange. Cloud… he reminds me of Zack… SOLDIER wise…" Aeris giggled. "First class… I am surprised they didn't see one another. Oh Tifa… did you really not know Zack?"

Tifa felt the color drain from her face some however she kept herself composed. "I-I really didn't... it was another Zack." She lied. At the rate she dodges and lied to her friends, she was a pro. Soon it would be able to roll off her tongue.

"Oh… that's too bad. Zack was really nice…" Aeris closed her eyes in thought. Tifa could tell that she was thinking of Zack.

"Hey guys!" Cait called out from the doorway, "Cloud said to meet at Cosmo Candle. He wants to talk to us."

Aeris and Tifa nodded and followed the stuffed toy. Sitting around the large bon fire, Cloud approached Aeris and Barrett. "Bugenhagen, Red's grandfather has offered to take us into his observatory. Barrett, you have continued AVALANCHE, and Aeris… you want to know more about the Promised Land, so I would like you two to come with me."

They both got up. Red made his way over to Tifa and laid down.

"So are you really only 15 in human years?" Cait called from across the fire.

Tifa looked to the lion in shock.

"I have been alive for nearly 50 years" Red held up his nose in a 'matter of fact' way.

Yuffie laughed moving to tackle the lion. "Sure you have … but grandpa said you were only 15 so that makes me older than you!"

"And how old are you?" Tifa questioned.

"16" She stated proudly.

Red shook his head and let out of a laugh.

"What are they going to see exactly Red?" Tifa questioned

Red smiled looking up to the Observatory, "They are going to see the stars, the planet, and its life. How when a human, or a tree, or anything with a lifeforce in it... they will see what happens when we die."

Yuffie looked a bit uncomfortable. "And what… happens?"

"We return to the planet and then are reborn." Red smirked. Grandpa says that when a man dies, his spirit energy enters the life stream and forms elsewhere."

"Spirit energy?" Cait questioned.

"I believe it is what you all know as Mako energy…"

Tifa's eyes widen in shock, "Mako… so if they are sucking up all the Mako energy then..."

Red nods grimly, "All of the living things are being used up and thrown away... if there is no spirit energy left on the planet…"

"It destroys it..." Yuffie frowned. "You know you guys are pretty cool… you go out of your way to save this hunk of dirt underneath."

"It's not just that… it's everyone on it too" Tifa smiled.

Barrett, Aeris and Cloud join the group around the fire. Aeris took a seat besides Tifa.

Barrett let out a sigh; a smile however graced his face. Since the incident with Dyne, Tifa was afraid that Barrett wouldn't be the loud hardy man of the group.

"Cosmo Canyon… This is where AVALANCHE was born… I promised my guys someday when we saved the planet from Shinra… that we'd all go to Cosmo Canyon and celebrate."

Tifa felt a pang in her chest for the fallen comrades.

"Biggs, Wedge… Jessie... Now they are all gone… Died for the planet." Barrett shook his head some, "We all… we all hate the Shinra... Do I even got a good reason to go on? Will they... will they forgive me? Cause right now I don't really know. But I know one thing." Barrett smirked, "If there's anything I can do to save the planet… or the people livin on it. Then I'm gonna do it! I don't care if it's for justice or revenge… I don't care. Let 'em decided for themselves." Barrett folded his arms looking to the sky. Inside Tifa hoped that one day a long long time from now Barrett would peacefully reunite with those three.

Barrett jumped to his feet yelling out in joy, "Yeah! Again! AVALANCHE is born again!"

Yuffie jumped away some from Barrett causing Tifa to chuckle some.

Aeris smiled and nodded some with Barrett, "I learned a lot… The elders here have taught me many things about the Cetra… and the Promised Land." Her face had suddenly become a slight frown, "I… I am all alone now."

Cloud whom had seated himself next to the woman in pink took her hand in his, "I am here for you… We all are." He smiled.

"I know" Aeris smiled holding onto Clouds hand more, "But I am the only Cetra…"

"Does that mean that we cannot help?" Cloud raised his brows feeling sorrow for his close friend.

Aeris bit her bottom lip looking down. Tifa had to change the atmosphere of the conversation. She thought quick however didn't second think it. "Hey Cloud; Bonfires are funny, aren't they? They make you remember all sorts of things. You know, Cloud 5 years ago" Tifa begun to talk fast until she really heard what she was saying, "Uh… it... it's nothing. Forget it" She smiled nervously.

"What is it?" Cloud asked looking from next to Aeris. The girl in pink too looked up curious.

"Ah… it feels like." Tifa glanced at the two of them. "It feels like you are going far away…"

Cloud looked confused and shook his head some with a smile, "I won't be far way."

"You really, really are you…. Right?" Tifa spoke too soft for human ears to hear. Red turned some looking at Tifa, however went back to resting his head on his paws.

"Wahhh!" Yuffie let out an exaggerated yawn, "What a boring place… I wanna go somewhere! Let's go find some materia!" She got up and paced some.

Barrett reached over to the small girl and pulled her down to sit by her arm.

"Owie! What the heck!" She glared at Barrett.

"Sho' some respect for this place!" he scolded.

Tifa couldn't help but smile softly. She could see in Barrett's eyes that he hoped Marlene wouldn't turn out as energetic as Yuffie.

"I wonder how many years it's been… Gosh it brings back memories" Cait purred watching the fire.

Red sat up feeling it was appropriate to speak next, after all everyone else had spoken. "Long ago… When I was still very small. We were all around this flame."

Tifa listened in closely, however she noticed Red's eyes frown some.

"Never mind..." he laid back down with a huff.

"What is it?" She questioned.

"What happened?" Cloud added at the same time.

"It is about my parents. When I talk about my mother, I am full of pride and joy." Red sat back up and raised his head high, however it was short lived, his tail swished back and forth as he slouched, "But when I remember my father… my heart is full of anger."

"You really can't forgive your father?" Tifa looked up to see Red's grandfather. This was the first time she could properly see him. He was a thin old man that sat cross legged. He floated off the ground and bobbed up and down as if he was walking. He wore a strange pair of striped pants with a purple jacket, and to top off the strange ensemble, a pair of large round sunglasses.

Red seemed to growl some, "Of course not! He… he left mother for dead… When the Gi tribe attacked, he ran off by himself, leaving mother and the people of the Canyon."

Bugenhagen seemed to watch his grandson, he turned floating back into the mountain, "Come Nanaki… there is something you should see."

Red looked up confused. Getting up he begun to make his way.

"This place may be dangerous… Cloud if you could assist?" Bugenhagen added.

Cloud got up and looked to Yuffie, and Tifa. Both girls nodded getting up. Aeris got up and moved quickly over to Tifa handing her a small green orb. Looking at her hand she could see it was her Cure 2 materia.

"Thanks Aeris" Tifa smiled.

The older woman nodded and sat back down by the fire.

Tifa followed Cloud up into the Canyon. They soon found Bugenhagen by a large sheet of wall. By the looks of the cuts, it seemed like it was a door to go deeper inside.

"Maybe he wants to show him some super rare materia that's been passed on for generations" Yuffie grinned widely.

Cloud shook his head some slightly embarrassed.

Bugenhagen laughed slightly and reached into a barrel that was next to the strange door. He took out his hand and the door slid down into the ground. Tifa brushed her arms as the cool air rushed out.

"Ho ho hoo, if you are ready, go on." Bugenhagen floated to behind Cloud.

"Aren't you going to show us grandpa?" Red questioned.

"Are you crazy? It's dangerous in there, I told you that! You want an old man like me to go first? I will be back here" he fixed his glasses.

Yuffie let out a huff and scouted ahead. Red followed next to Tifa while Cloud guarded Bugenhagen.

They made their way deep into the Canyon, climbing down long series of rope and ladders. On their way down Tifa could hear Bugenhagen speak, "Everyone, I will tell you the tale of the ghost of the Gi tribe. Killed in a certain battle."

"A certain battle?" Red questioned.

Tifa could feel her arms burn as she finally reached the bottom. Ahead looked to be a collection of caves.

"The vengeful spirits of the Gi didn't disappear, and couldn't return to the Life stream." Bugenhagen continued.

Tifa could hear Cloud's sword hit the ground behind her. She turned to see several ghosts garbed in dark robes attempting to suck the life from Cloud. Tifa powered her lightning materia however Yuffie was faster. The ninja girl casted ice. The ghosts froze and fell from their floating position. Red pounced and clawed at the ice breaking one of the ghosts. Cloud swung his sword again smashing another. Tifa stopped her casting and brought her leg up and down, her foot smashing the final block of ice.

"Good work Yuf" Cloud smiled.

The ninja girl blushed and waved continuing on. Tifa giggled and also continued.

"As you can see, this cave leads to the back of Cosmo Canyon… it was unfortunate that the Gi were larger than us. If they attacked through here, we wouldn't have stood a chance."

Tifa noticed a flash of red to her right. Cloud had casted fire on a spirit that was about to attack her.

"The warrior went through the cave all alone. Fighting attackers one after another." Bugenhagen proceeded ahead of the group into a dimly lit tunnel. On the other side was a chamber, where a evil looking face was blocking the exit.

"Oh?" Bugenhagen looked surprised.

"Grandpa... is that?" Red growled.

"After death… The ghosts of the Gi… like stagnant air... This can't be." Bugenhagen floated back behind Cloud.

Cloud readied to attack as the Gi fighter Nattak projected himself from the wall. His ghostly appearance sent chills down Tifa's spine. He was garbed in an elaborate headdress and held a blood red spear. Flames danced around him, floating and glowing bright orange.

Red growled as he lunged to attack, tearing at the garb Nattak wore.

A flame instantly fell upon Red and seemed to vanish in him.

"Red! Be careful!" Cloud called out as he ran forward slashing at the fire.

Tifa ran up with Cloud to team up on the flame he was fighting. Occasionally, Yuffie's weapon would soar down and strike from afar. As soon as it was slain, they had begun to work on the other while Red was busy handling Nattak.

The lion creature growled deep as he mouth ripped off some of the garb. Nattak gave out a low shriek and spun his spear. Red dropped the cloth from his mouth and yowled out in pain, his body engulfed in fire.

"Tifa!" Cloud called out.

Tifa nodded and ran over to Red starting to cast Cure2 on him.

The fire soon died out and poor Red was an inch from being unconscious. The green orb glowed brightly and streams of emerald were cast down from Tifa's hands.

Red groaned slightly as he felt his burnt skin and fur heal instantly. Getting up he shook his head snapping himself back into reality. "Thank you Tifa."

Tifa smiled and readied to attack, "We need to work together… I know this boss anger's you because of what they did to your family, however you are now our family Red, and we need to look after each other." She smiled.

Red smiled back with a chuckle and ran with Tifa as they joined Cloud and Yuffie attacking Nattak.

The Gi ghost wailed out in pain, his flames gone and now his only attacks left small bruises upon whom he touched, however it was nothing compared to Jenova. Working together they quickly defeated the Gi Nattak.

Bugenhagen floated up to Cloud from hiding. Tifa took a deep breath as she stretched. It had been a while since she had a real fight.

"Thank you Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie… Because of you, we survived. Nanaki…" Red's grandfather smiled down at the beast. "You have grown strong too."

Red smiled, his eyes aglow with emotion, "Yeah? Really?"

"Now I know that it wasn't a mistake to bring you here… Come, I have something I want to show you." Bugenhagen floated past the group through the cave the Gi Nattak had blocked.

Tifa looked down to Red whom seemed very nervous to continue on. He was fighting himself on the inside.

Cloud gave Red's head a good pat and moved on. Red smiled and followed, the girls not too far behind.

Tifa looked around; they noticed they were outside at the bottom of the Canyon. It was dark outside; they had been inside for so long fighting spirits. Cloud, Bugenhagen were both looking up at something. Tifa looked around confused, trying to see what they see. Her eyes widened, tears immediately threatened to seep through.

"The warrior who fought against the Gi…" Bugenhagen floated to the middle of the canyon looking down at Red, "He kept them from taking even one step into Cosmo Canyon… But he was never able to return home… Look Nanaki. Look at your father, at the warrior Seto!"

Tifa looked to Red, his eyes wide, tears instantly begun to fall. Tifa looked back up. On top of the cliff in a roaring position was a stone statue of a bigger lion. His body was riddled with spears, however his posture told Tifa that he wouldn't be brought down… he wouldn't let anyone who threatened his home, or family through.

"That... that is… Seto?" Red's voice cracked some.

"Seto continued to fight the Gi tribe here… to protect this Canyon. Even after the Gi's poisonous spears turned his body to stone… Even after they all ran away… Seto continued to protect us. And he continues to protect us even now." Bugenhagen floated down next to Red, the lion however never took his eyes off of his father.

"Even now…." Red's voice was weak with emotion.

"You thought that he was a coward and ran away. But he, alone risked his life to protect Cosmo Canyon. That is your father, Seto!"

"Did… did mother know?"

"Ho ho hooo." Bugenhagen gave out a chuckle, "She knew… the two of them made me promise to keep this cave shut. They asked me to seal it myself and not to tell a soul about it. They said we should forget about this cave."

Red slowly lowered his gaze to the floor. All the detestation towards his father…

"Cloud, would you mind leaving the two of us alone?" Bugenhagen spoke softly.

Cloud nodded and walked back through the cave. Tifa gave one last glance up at Seto and turned with Yuffie leaving. She couldn't help but shed a few tears… All this time Red thought of his father as a lowly coward, however he was most likely alive because of his father's brave and honorable actions.

With the Gi Nattak gone, they were able to move through the cave safely. They rejoined Aeris, Cait, and Barrett back at the Cosmo Candle and sat down. Tifa wanted to ask Aeris for a prayer to keep Seto strong and the canyon safe, however she couldn't speak the words to request.

"They fixed the buggy" Barrett spoke up to Cloud.

He nodded getting up, "Shall we get going?"

"So this is it… for Nanaki?" Aeris frowned some.

"That's just the way it goes… He wanted to jes' travel with us until he got home." Barrett shrugged his shoulders.

Tifa looked to the Ninja girl who held a small pout.

"That means I am the youngest in the group…" She sighed.

Tifa couldn't help but let out a small laugh. No matter the situation Yuffie always seemed to brighten the mood.

They had begun to make their way to the gate when Red pounced out in front of them out of breath, "Wait! I'm coming too!" he smiled.

Tifa felt her face light up with happiness, she looked to Aeris who had also brightened.

"Cloud." Bugenhagen floated down to see the group off, "Please look after Nanaki."

Cloud smiled and nodded. They move down the steps of Cosmo Canyon. Cloud couldn't help but shake his head with a smile. "What happened?"

Red let out a big grin, "I think I grew up a little. That's what happened."

Cloud smiles and begins to run to the buggy. Aeris giggles following and Yuffie flies by taking it as a challenge instead of a friendly run.

"Man if I run down these steps I'm gonna fall" Barrett groaned but took off.

"I am glad you are back with us Red, or should I say Nanaki."

Red let out a laugh, "You may all continue to call me Red XIII…. After all it is how we met. And I wouldn't have it any other way." Red sped up his pace and took after the group.

Tifa smiled looking off as she walked down the steps. The smiles on her face fell when she noticed a town in the distance… there next stop…. Nibelheim.


	16. The Town of Lies and Shinra Mansion

Hello everyone and hope you enjoyed the last chapter.

Well here it is, the second to last character, Vincent joins the group. Hope you all enjoy and are not disappointed. Most Vincent's that I have come across are mostly the silent type. I hope to draw away from that some, not too much, just enough to keep him in character, but in a different view. Anyway I do hope you enjoy.

Miss Ti

Tifa slung her bag onto her back. The feeling of dread caught in her throat. They all stepped into the city of Nibelheim. Tifa's eyes were wide in shock. Her anxiety gone for the moment and replaced with confusion. The town was… there! There was no rubble, it didn't even look like there was a fire!

"What-!" Tifa was lost for words.

"You said the whole town burnt down right?" Barrett whispered to Tifa.

She nodded, "This was all supposed to be burnt down."

"Yeah…" Cloud agreed

"Well I heard from _someone_ that this town was gone….. it is obliviously here." Yuffie spoke out.

"Then why…. My house is here?" Tifa looked past the well at the center of town. Her house was indeed there. The two story building was next to Clouds house.

"What is going on?" Aeris whispered enough for the group to hear.

"Cloud… did you make up your story to get our support?" Cait questioned raising a brow.

"I am no lying!" Cloud turned to Cait and the others, "I remember… the intense heat of the flames… Split up.. we will take 2 houses each and question whose inside. Tifa, take Yuffie and Barrett… We will meet up infront of your house when we are done."

Tifa nodded and walked ahead with a purpose. She entered the inn and looked around. Everything was the same, all except the keeper that is.

"Hello! And welcome! Would you like a room?" he said cheerfully.

"Whats going on?" Tifa asked glaring.

"What?" the innkeeper was taken back.

"This town was suppose to have been burnt down five years ago…"

"Don't say such awful things… I was born and raised in this town." The innkeeper's eyes glanced away from Tifa's a split second.

"you're lying." She narrowed her eyes upon him.

"How dare you! If you are going to talk like that to me then you better leave." He pointed to the door.

Tifa turned to her group who looked at her worried.

"I am not lying guys…"

"We know Teef, it's just…" Yuffie scratched at her arm.

A moaning was heard from the kitchen. Tifa looked and noticed that the innkeeper had moved upstairs to clean. Moving to the kitchen area she noticed a hunched over cloaked figure. It had strange blue eyes and scars along its face.

"This must be one of them Hojo projects." Barrett looked closer. "Got a tattoo! Number 6? Hmm"

"I think its trying to say something" Yuffie listened in.

"… … re… uni…on…" It strained to speak.

"Reunion?" Tifa softly questioned. She could hear the innkeeper walking above coming back downstairs. "Lets get out of here."

Barrett and Yuffie nodded and made their way out. Moving into the store, Yuffie instantly split from the group to check out the wares. She however was back quickly and in a huff. "No new materia…"

Tifa moved to the counter buying a phoenix down. The store clerk smiled and charged Tifa for the item, "Such a nice town? We've been in business here for a long time."

Tifa's eyebrow twitched, "Your lying…"

"Do you have anything to do with this town?" The woman sneered at Tifa.

"How about being born and raised here?" She spat back.

"You know it's not nice to tell lies little girl." She spoke with anger in her voice.

Barrett placed his hand on Tifa's shoulder looking at her to just walk away.

Tifa let out a huff and left the store. She moved in front of her house and folded her arms. "These people? Where do they get off at?"

"Tifa its ok… I am sure Cloud found someone to tell the truth." Yuffie half smirked.

"Actually I haven't…" Cloud approached with Red, Aeris, and Cait. "Everyone's been telling me I have never been here." He sighed.

"Let's go into my house… " Tifa moved to open the door.

Inside Tifa bit her lip fighting back painful memories. Inside was completely the same as if it really was her house. However it couldn't have been. She made her way up to her room and moved inside while everyone settled down on the first floor. Tifa slowly stepped into the warm familiar area and gently touched the keys on her piano. It held no dust, as if it was played recently. She looked around, investigating anything that could help her set things straight. She suddenly found a letter on her desk. It was suppose to be a letter from Johnny if her memory was right. Picking up the cool paper she reads.

_Periodic report to Professor Hojo._

_1. Clone activity report – Unfortunately, no 'Clones' have left this town this quarter. As previous reported, the 'Clones' seem to be sensing something. But all they say is "Reunion" or "Sephiroth" and show no other sign of activity._

_2. Confidentiality Report – A total of eight people have visited this town this quarter. Fortunately, none knew about the incident five years ago. Therefore, no one knows the town was restored exactly as it was five years ago. Our staff, disguised as townspeople have improved their acting skills, and we do not report any problems at this time. That is all._

Tifa jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning to strike Cloud quickly ducked out of the way.

"Ah.. sorry" Tifa quickly reddened. "I didn't mean to…"

Cloud let out a small chuckle, "Understandable in this crazy town.. what you got there?"

"Oh! It's a letter… apparently the town had been reconstructed exactly how it was 5 years ago… actors are in this town Cloud… We are no lying." She smiled.

Cloud nodded looking over the letter. "Hm… this explains a lot, however why would they go this far and not do anything to Gongaga?"

Tifa shook her head some, "Let's go back downstairs… I don't want to keep the others wondering."

Cloud smiled again and let Tifa move first. Halfway down the stairs he called out to her, "Hey Teef… I found this up in your fathers room." He handed Tifa a small box lightly covered in dust.

Confused she glanced inside, tears fell without her consent as she viewed upon a set of fighting gloves. They were beautiful; black leather and platinum knuckles. They had her last name embroidered around the wrist. She shut the box and watched Cloud move by her. Tifa wanted to put the gloves on; however something in her heart told her that she couldn't… she didn't deserve to wear these yet. She held too many secrets, too many lies, she felt that she shouldn't have even seen such beautiful gloves.

Putting them into her pack she wiped he eyes free of the tears and moved on downstairs.

The all of Cloud's group now believed that he wasn't lying, however the only one that really doubted them was Yuffie and Cait. They were about to continue their way up past the Mako reactor however a cloaked figure stood in front of the Shinra Mansion. Aeris seemed to pale a bit, most likely Cloud and his group had run into a few of these guys in the houses they searched.

Cloud carefully approached. The figure collapsed however tried to drag himself to the gate of the mansion. "The great… Sep… Hiroth… is near.."

"Sephiroth?" Cloud looked surprised. Tifa followed his eyes up to the mansion.

She never stepped foot in that mansion, even in its more youthful days she had always stayed away from it. Its like she could sense death and pain from it. Tifa watched as Cloud begun to approach the front door. With a heavy sigh she gathered that today she would actually see inside.

Stepping foot into the dark and dusty mansion, Tifa held herself from both the actual and spiritual cold that ran down her spine. The place was falling apart, there was stains everywhere from what looked like very old blood, broken furniture littered the house, and monsters seemed to lurk inside as well.

Aeris stepped up into the mansion, also feeling the chills. She moved over and picked up a neatly folded paper. Its appearance did not match the rest of the house.

"Cloud?" She handed the paper to him.

Cloud unfolded and read aloud to everyone, "I must get rid of all those that stand in the way of my research. Even that one from the Turks. I scientifically altered him, and put him to sleep in the basement. If you want to find him, then search the area. But… this is merely a game I thought of. It is not necessary for you to participate if you don't want to."

"Hey! I found something!" Yuffie jumped up and down causing the floorboards to squeak.

Cloud took the newly found letter, this one looked very old. Cloud read it aloud, "Move the dial on the safe carefully, but quickly. You have 20 seconds. You can not go past the numbers while turning. The 4 hints for the numbers are-" Cloud read to himself, "There are clues to where we can find the combo for that safe."

"Cloud are you actually gonna play this game?" Barrett crossed his arms with a sigh.

"We should really find Sephiroth." Cait added.

"See I like this Cat, straight to the point." Barrett laughed.

"But if someone is really inside that room in the basement…" Aeris moved to look over at the letters.

"We may find only bones Aeris… this letter is dated over 20 years ago…" Cloud sighed.

"We still need to try… Spiritually we need to free this person." Aeris placed a hand upon Clouds hand.

He smiled to her and nodded, "Alright, lets split up into 4 groups… Barrett, you and Yuffie solve dial one: The lid of the box with the most oxygen."

"Why do I gotta be with short stuff here?" Barrett huffed.

"Like I wanted to be paired up with ya?" Yuffie growled back.

"Guys, there maybe some good treasure.. sounds like the clues in a box somewhere. Could be materia, gold, secrets that Shinra wouldn't want anyone to find out." Cloud smirked.

"Materia?" Yuffie exclaimed

"Shinra Secrets?" Barrett perked up.

"Let's go! We got boxes to search!" Yuffie took Barrett by his gun arm and went off.

Tifa giggled at the two and soon turned her attention to Cloud, "Red, can you go and figure this one with Aeris? The creek in the floor near the chair on the second floor, then to the left five times, up nine steps, left two steps, and up six steps?"

Red nodded as Aeris followed.

"Tifa, you and Cait will go find the clue that's behind the ivory's short of tea and ray."

Tifa nodded looking to her stuffed companion. She didn't quite know Cait however she didn't want to disappoint Cloud.

"Well… let's get this over and done with." Cait huffed.

Tifa walked through into the dining room. Glancing around she noticed that it was just as a mess as the other rooms.

"So why are we doing this again?" Cait asked.

"Because it's not right to leave someone locked up… alive or not."

"Yeah, but every moment we spend on this Sephiroth could be getting away."

Tifa rolled her eyes, "If you don't want to help… you can leave."

Cait pounced off of Mog and balanced himself on the stool to a dusty grand piano. "I can't just leave… I have got to find out what my fortune to Cloud means."

Tifa was almost tempted to ask Cait for her fortune; however this was neither the time nor the place. "Well then stop complaining and start searching."

Cait scoffed some leaning back onto the piano keys causing a musical pang.

Tifa jumped at the sound dropping a tea serving dish she was inspecting, "Geeze don't do that!" She tried to slow her heart rate.

"Sorry lassy, couldn't help myself." Cait grinned a Cheshire cat grin.

Tifa moved over to the piano and brushed her fingers along the ivory keys….. wait… "This is it… the clue.. its somewhere around here!" She begun to gently push the keys in starting with B as do. Moving up she struck Re, and Mi. When she struck Fa, it didn't sound.

"That's it!" Cait looked into the body of the piano and picked out a slip of paper.

"Great job!" Tifa smiled picking up Cait for a hug. She took the paper and placed him back on Mog running upstairs to the location of where the safe was at. Everyone else was already there and waiting.

"Hey, bout time. Heard you playing on the piano down there." Barrett handed his paper to Cloud.

"It was the clue. Ivory was the keys of the piano. And Tea and Ray were the-"

"Lets just get on with it." Cait took the paper and handed it to Cloud.

Cloud quickly input the combo and opened the safe. He was then suddenly blasted back. Hitting the wall Aeris walked over and looked him over.

Tifa looked from Cloud back to what attacked him. A large mass of black exited the safe and soon formed. Tifa's eyes widened as she took site of the monster in front of her. It took color and shape, half looked to be like a fire bomb, while the other was like a strange purple toad with long wicked claws.

"Did Hojo do this?" Cait questioned preparing to roll his dice.

"Hojo? What would he have to do with this?" Barrett questioned.

"Never mind, we need to defeat him" Red charged.

Barrett begun to fire at the beast. It let out a horrendous roar spitting out flames. Tifa looked to Red who was already on the beast and clawing at it. The fire it emitted did not have an effect on the Lion. Yuffie threw her weapon continuously. A gleam in her eye told Tifa that there was a materia prize in the end. Cloud was quickly up and sending a blade beam at the beast, however it didn't seem to effect it much. The monster roared once more shaking the mansion. Tifa shielded herself from falling dust and dirt however it left her open. The beast swung its large dragon like claws and caught her in the stomach. It threw her back scratching up her mid section. Staring up at the ceiling, the fighter knew she would be helped soon. Tears fell down as she quietly cursed her stupidity.

Aeris had just made her way over and begun to heal the large wound. "Tifa, you need to be-"

"I know, I don't know what had me so distracted…." She sighed getting up.

Aeris smiled at her friend as she fixed up the remaining scrape. "Tifa… Is me being with Cloud bothering you at all?"

"What?" Tifa was taken back by the question. "No… no not at all."

"Well I don't want it to effect anything… Please talk to me if something troubles you." Aeris got up and ran over to Yuffie whom had burns across her arms and legs.

Tifa nodded and watched the woman in pink run off. Cloud was getting closer to her yes, but in a friendly way… Their were no butterflies in her stomach like their once were… but she did feel warmth, and she also felt very safe. That was in no way at all like love. But no matter how hard she tried not to think about it she couldn't help but feel like she was just making up excuses…

Tifa shook the thoughts free from her mind, this was not the time or place. She needed to help the others defeat this monster and get the heck out of here.

She ran up fist ready to strike. She was surprised that after Cloud attacked the monster took on a more demonesk like appearance. The firebomb part of the monster seemed to vanish all together.

Tifa noticed the monster ready to strike at her with its claws. She managed to catch one before it hit her. Groaning she took a good hold and flipped the creature. It let out a crying roar as it crashed through the 2nd floor of the mansion onto the first. Cait let out a chuckle as it took a grenade from its pack and tossed it down.

"Everyone cover you're a$$!" Barrett yelled out ducking.

Cloud ran and shielded Aeris and Yuffie while Red jumped up shielding Tifa.

Tifa covered her ears as the small charge blew up. Shaking the very foundation of the mansion. Tifa brushed the dust off of her clothes looking around. The building was still intact.

"We had that Cait, why'd you pull a grenade?" Barrett fumed as he pulled a few splinters from his beard and hair.

"Nya, might as well… Seems you all prefer to get your hands dirty than use this junk." Cait looked over his pack of Molotov's, grenades, and other battle items.

"Just sell that crap when we get out of this mansion." Yuffie huffed, "More Gil to buy Materia with."

Tifa looked down into the hole the monster was thrown in. She noticed it vanish leaving behind a large mess of debris.

"Hurry up would ya? I want that materia!" Yuffie kicked her legs out in a pout.

Tifa looked over at the woman in pink with a smile, then to the younger ninja. "Surely Yuffie it's Clouds choice who gets it."

"No way!" Yuffie scoffed, "He got the last one right?"

Cloud shook his head some and picked up the ember orb. Giving it a good look over he tossed the materia over to Barrett.

"D'aw Cloud man, thanks!" He grinned tossing it up and down casually.

"To him! He doesn't even use materia!" Yuffie fumed.

"Don't worry Yuf… You will get the next one." Cloud smirked.

"We now have the key, we should perhaps go and see who Hojo had locked up." Red mentioned, no doubt the curiosity getting the best of him.

Cloud nodded helping Aeris and Yuffie up. Tifa followed not to far behind listening to Barrett brag loud enough for Yuffie to hear. "Man this has got to be the most powerful one yet! I know it is, I mean look at it glow!"

Aeris let out a laugh as Yuffie folded her arms in a pout.

They reached a room that looked to be a bedroom. Cloud moved to a brick like wall and felt around. He pressed in a brick causing the wall to open up. Tifa rubbed her arms as she felt a cold draft escape.

"I don't like this Cloud… Let's turn back.." Cait shivered on his Mog.

"It smells like death down there…" Red seemed a bit hesitant at first.

"Be careful guys, it's been a long while since his way has been used.." Cloud warned before heading down first.

Tifa entered through the door. Looking down, her breath was nearly taken from her. It was a long winding ramp with no rails. The floorboards creaked under their weight. Tifa noticed that Barrett had went before her. Of course being a larger size that she was, Tifa felt safer moving down. She kept her hand on the cool mossy wall for reassurance that she wouldn't fall over. Reaching the bottom she could really feel the cool air. They were underground alright.

Cloud led the group through the dim lighted hall. They reached a large door with a small bar'd window. Was whoever was locked in here a criminal?

"Cloud… I don't feel good about this.." Yuffie was nervous.

Cloud shrugged some, "After what we handled, I doubt that their could be anything bad… Besides what if its more Materia?"

Yuffie shook some shaking her head.

Tifa understood Yuffie's fear. It was cold, damp, and dark… three things that shouldn't mix.

Opening the door and moving inside behind Cloud Tifa noticed several coffins scattered about the room. All but one, lying on the floor in the middle of the room had a lid.

"Is this it? Is whoever Hojo locked down here dead?" Aeris questioned.

Cloud moved to open the coffin. Barrett stopped him however.

"Cloud? Are you really going to upset the dead like that?"

Cloud looked to Barrett and decided to instead knock.

Tifa rolled her eyes slightly, the dead wouldn't be able to answ-

"To wake me from the nightmare" a deep leathery voice seemed to engulf the room.

Tifa and the others jumped back in shock as the coffin lid flew off to the side. A figure garbed in black and red elegantly jumped from its resting place onto the ledge of the coffin head.

Tifa's heart raced in fear and shock at the figure before her. A man with dark red eyes studied the group. His black hair was long, held away from his eyes and framing his face by a red bandanna. Half of his face was covered by a long cloak, deep red as the fabric around his head. What fascinated Tifa the most was the golden colored gauntlet that he wore on his left arm, each one pointed into a claw.

He was young looking, and so pale, Tifa would have to say about mid high twenties. How could such a man be locked up in here for so long look so young? Was he put here recently? Did Hojo; if he even written that letter, lie or set a trap?

"Who are you?" He spoke out. Cloud was too stunned to answer, as well as the others, "Never seen you before… You must leave."

"Wait… you were having a nightmare." Cloud spoke.

"Anyone would dream bad things in a place like this…" Tifa shivered some.

Tifa couldn't help but feel sorrow, bad dreams… No one should have such dreams.

"Hmpf… a nightmare? My long sleep has given me time to atone.." He didn't sound to enthused to continue talking.

"What are you saying?" Red questioned moving closer.

"Get out.. I have nothing to say to strangers. This mansion is the beginning of your nightmare." He threatened.

"You can say that again." Cloud sighed.

This had seemed to pick the man's interest, "Hm? What do you know."

Cloud looked to Aeris, then to Tifa as if looking for permission. Tifa gave a small nod, 'Tell him Cloud… perhaps he would know something.' Tifa's inner voice spoke.

"It is like you said, this mansion is the beginning of a nightmare. No, it's no dream, its all real. Sephiroth has lost his mind. He found the secrets hidden in this mansion."

Tifa noticed that the man's eyes widened some, "Sephiroth?"

It was Cloud's turn to be surprised, they both spoke out, "You know Sephiroth?"

The man shook his head some and nodded some at Cloud, "You start first."

Cloud nodded, "Well 5 years ago, Sephiroth and I had a mission here… he discovered that he was actually a product of Jenova… He destroyed this town and vanished. Now he returns and plans on finding the Promised Land. We all are here as a group to stop him."

The man looked down as if in thought, "So five years ago Sephiroth found out that he had been created…"

"Now it's your turn."

The man slowly shook his head, "No… sorry, I cannot speak."

"Why you lyin' white faced!" Barrett growled some.

"That's just dirty." Aeris agreed.

Even Red had gotten out of his 'I am old and wise' character, "What? You can't be serious!"

"Hmm.." Tifa sighed, she had a feeling that he was somehow involved in all of this. She glanced over to Cloud who didn't seem too worried either. Did he have that same feeling too?

"Hearing this has added upon me yet another sin. More nightmares shall come to me now, more than I previously had…"

He stepped down from the ledge and moved to lay back into the coffin. The lid like magic few up and closed back down on top.

"Please… leave."

Red, Cait, Yuffie, and Barrett stepped out, too frustrated with the man. Aeris looked to Cloud as he knocked on the coffin once more.

"You are still here?" The voice echoed.

"At least tell us your name.." He questioned.

The coffin lid slid off, and the man sat up, his glowing eyes sending chills down Tifa's spine, "I was with… the Shinra Manufacturing Department in Administrative Research… otherwise known as… The Turks… Vincent"

"The Turks?" Cloud sounded angry, slowly reaching to draw his sword.

Tifa and Aeris both looked at one another, hesitant to stop Cloud.

Vincent shook his head, "Formerly of the Turks. I have no affiliation with Shinra now. And you?"

"Cloud… Formerly of SOLIDER." He relaxed.

"You were also with Shinra? Then do you know Lucrecia?"

"Who?" Cloud questioned.

Tifa's heart rate increased. Oh how she wished Vincent didn't ask Cloud questions that he didn't… that he wouldn't know.

"Lucrecia…" he said once more, a bit slowly.

Cloud thought some then shook his head,

"She is the woman who gave birth to Sephiroth…" Vincent clarified.

"Gave birth? But, wasn't Jenova Sephiroth's mother?" Cloud was confused. As was Tifa and Aeris.

"That isn't completely wrong, just a theory.." Tifa felt that the dark haired man was hiding something, "He was born from a beautiful woman… That woman was Lucrecia. She was an assistance to Professor Gast of the Jenova Project. Beautiful… Lucrecia." Vincent seemed to trail off some in thought.

Tifa was at awe at the man… he held this love for a long time. Sure she didn't know how long he had been locked up, but Vincent had that look in his eyes… Those glowing eyes were like a fire that never died. Surely that love wouldn't either.

"Was she… a human experiment?" Cloud questioned.

Vincent closed his eyes, as if he was reliving a memory, "There was no way to cancel the experiment. I couldn't stop her… and that was my sin. I had let the one I loved, the one I respected the most, face the worst."

"So it is your punishment to sleep? That's…. Kinda weird." Aeris played with her hair some. Tifa had to agree with the girl in pink.

Vincent lied back down, the coffin lid sliding back on. "Let me sleep…"

Cloud sighs and shrugs to Tifa and Aeris. Making their way back into the hall they were greeted by a angry Yuffie. "Come on guys, that dude is too boring."

"That guy gave me the chills man… he too much." Barrett agreed.

"Let's continue guys, there is a library back here we need to check." Cloud motioned.

Tifa thought more about the woman Lucrecia… To be a human experiment… It wasn't just dangerous but to her own child? What could possess her to do such a thing? And how did Vincent play into this? She let out a sigh entering the warm underground library of the mansion, she guessed that she wouldn't ever know.

Looking up, she noticed Sephiroth standing on the far end of the library. Everyone prepared to attack except Cloud.

"Sephiroth!" Cloud yelled out to grab his attention.

"Ah… this brings back so many memories…" His warm voice spoke out, "Are you going to participate in the reunion?" he smiled coyly at Cloud.

"Reunion? What the hell is that?" Cloud reached to draw his weapon.

"Jenova will be at the Reunion. Jenova will join the reunion becoming a calamity from the skies." Sephiroth held his hands out to the celing as if he could embrace such a thing.

"Jenova, a calamity from the skies? You mean… she wasn't an Ancient?"

"… hm…" Sephiroth lowered his hands glaring at the blonde, "I don't think you have the right to participate. I will go North past Mt. Nibel. If you wish to find out… then follow…"

"Oh no you don't!" Cloud readied to attack, as well as everyone. However Sephiroth threw a materia at Cloud causing him and the others to freeze.

Sephiroth smiled as he was lifted into the air. He leaned forward flying past the group and shooting up to the Mansion.

Tifa's body felt like she was frozen without the bite of chill. She couldn't move, speak, or even blink. Her eyes burned from being stuck. Just as she couldn't take it anymore she was unfrozen.

Yuffie picked up the materia rubbing her eyes, "Just as I thought, a time materia!"

"Cloud… Will we be going to Mt. Nibel?" Aeris questioned.

"Yeah… I have to stop him." Cloud stretched some.

"Well lets go then! We were so close!" Cait jumped on top of his Mog fixing his crown.

Cloud nodded and made his way into the hall. Tifa followed last, shutting the door she noticed Vincent step out of the room he was locked in. They met eyes, both silent, waiting for the other to start.

"If… if I go with you will I meet Hojo?" Vincent asked.

Cloud and the others stopped hearing Vincent speak out, turning they found the caped man outside of his coffin.

Cloud stepped up to Vincent folding his arms. "Hojo? Dunno… But we're after him and Sephiroth. So, I guess sooner or later…"

"Lucrecia…." Vincent spoke out softly, Tifa looked quizingly at Vincent, his red eyes shifted from hers, to Clouds, "Alright…. I have decided to go with you."

"W-what?" Barrett nearly fell over.

"What? You are coming with us?" Tifa was surprised.

"Great… just what I need… another person to split materia with" Yuffie sighed.

"Being former Turk, I may be of some help to you."

Cloud smiled and nodded, holding out his hand, "Alright then… welcome to the group."

Vincent nodded and watched as Cloud made his way back to lead the group. Tifa held her arms some to warm herself from the chill of the hallway and moved past Vincent. She couldn't help but feel his gaze on her. It had sent chills down her spine. If Cloud trusted him enough, then surely she could.


	17. Rocket Town and the Monster

My longest chapter yet… I do hope I am getting better. *Shrugs*

I found myself really happy with this chapter. After re-reading and adding around 500 more words i couldn't help but feel proud that i am getting this far. I still have a long way to go until the story is over. I tend to write while listening to FFVII Piano collections. It really brings out my emotions and gets me into a mindset of if i were each character. I would have to say that 'Cloud Smiles' is my favorite music piece. It really got me thinking of doing a Tifa's Advent Children after i am done with this. What do you think? What is your favorite music piece? =)

Well off we go as we get this story really moving!

I do hope you enjoy.

Miss Ti

The group of misfits had made their way out of the mansion and onto the rocky road that would lead them to Mt. Nibel. Tifa had far too many memories, all bad about traveling on this road. She traveled in the middle of the group with Yuffie and Aeris, Cloud had always led the way, and not too far behind him was Barrett. Cait was close behind him while Red and Vincent were last. It seemed that the Lion creature had taken a liking to the caped man. Tifa had to admit that she missed talking to Red while they traveled, however there was nothing preventing her from going back there and talking now was there? Aside from the fact that she had always sensed that he was looking at her.

Tifa closed her eyes with a huff as she continued along the rickety bridge. She was surprised that Shinra went as far as to rebuild it.

Her stomach dropped as she suddenly felt a board give under her weight. She screamed reaching out as she fell however she felt a cold hand grasp hers. Looking up Tifa found that Vincent had caught her.

Tifa's stomach flipped as she quickly looked down to avoid his red eyes, yet a bad idea on her end. "Ah! PullMeUpPullMeUp!" she yelled out.

Vincent carefully pulled the screaming woman, Red had grabbed his cloak with his teeth incase the both of them went under.

Tifa felt the wooden bridge back on her feet. Once Vincent had let go, she ran to land and collapsed to her knees taking a breath.

"Tifa are you alright?" Cloud and Aeris moved over. Barrett and Yuffie not too far behind.

Tifa took deep breaths regaining herself.

"That's what happens when you don't pay attention to where you're going." Yuffie teased.

Tifa managed a glare at Yuffie. It was true though, she couldn't concentrate on the big picture. The group seemed to always be slowed down because of her mistakes. Tifa was helped up to her feet by Barrett, the group seeing that she was ok continued on their way.

She looked to the ground, more embarrassed by what had just happened than anything, and double ensuring that an incident like that wouldn't happen again. Tifa let out a groan when she came to the realization that she would have to thank the man from the coffin. Turning to glance at him she noticed that he was looking to Red, both in conversation. She slowed her pace so she would be walking even with them. "Ah… Thanks for that."

Vincent's eyes moved to Tifa's, Gaia that glow to them was unnaturally beautiful, "You are quite welcome… be sure to take care of yourself so such an incident does not happen again."

Tifa reddened at the face. 'ugh… he is talking to me like I am a child… well it doesn't help that I am acting as such.' She kicked a rocks off of a ledge. She quickened her pace to walk next to Yuffie. The Ninja girl just smirked at her friend nudging her with her elbow, "Aw you all red in the face!"

"Sh! Yuffie!" Tifa reddened more, "Ugh…"

"Do you have something for someone tall…. Dark… and handsome?" she grinned.

"I-its not like that, I was just thanking him for saving me." Tifa held her head up concentrating on the road ahead.

"Alright then… cant wait to see how this progresses" Yuffie giggled some.

Tifa rolled her eyes. Ahead of them was Mt. Nibel and the reactor. Cloud seemed to stop in front of it however decided that they would continue on. They started to make their way down the mountain. Shinra had built a facility of some sort for the harvesting of Mako energy, but it looked to be long abandoned. This area of Mt. Nibel was home to many dangerous creatures. The found an area where they would be able to take a slide… to where they couldn't see.

"Let's split up, each group will take one of these slides." Cloud announced, "Barrett, you will led Cait down the right path, it looks to go off not too far so you can join Tifa, Yuffie, and Vincent." Tifa could hear Yuffie snickering, "Aeris, Red and I will check out this one."

Tifa looked to her group. With a sigh she gave out a forced smile, "Alright, lets go then…" She jumped into the pipe. It was long and dark, winding and going off into a long curve. Seeing light at the end she landed on her feet glancing around. Yuffie was screaming within the pipe, the poor girl not doing too well with the motion. Tifa stepped up giving the girl plenty of landing room however she came shooting out knocking Tifa over. Tifa groaned getting up rubbing out a sharp pinch in her arm.

"Sorry Teef" Yuffie held her head with a grin. Vincent not too far behind stepped out of the tunnel, he at least was smart enough to slow himself down so that he would not crash like the ninja girl.

Tifa smirked some shaking off the pain. Looking around she noticed the way out. It all seemed too easy to just make there way to the exit.

"Let's go" She signaled over the other to follow. Just as she was about to make her way out of the strange facility they were in she was pulled back by Vincent. Tifa was about to protest when a large strange bug like beast landed where she would have stepped. It let out a roar and approached to attack. Still in Vincent's grasp she noticed he had a gun out in his clawed hand. He begun to fire at the beast, however with the beasts armor, his attacks seemed to not have any effect.

Yuffie casted her new Time materia however it didn't even slow the bug beast down.

Tifa growled some squirming out of Vincent's grip and ran towards the enemy.

"Tifa!" Vincent called out.

She ignored, throwing a right punch then a left _{Sting}_ she felt a wave of pain as she punched with her left. Ignoring it she decided to concentrate on more kicks and less punches. While dodging the attacking legs she tried to find a weak spot on the bug, however it had a hard exoskeleton like body. Jumping back she allowed Yuffie and Vincent to attack while she concentrated on casting lightning.

"My attacks are not getting through!" Yuffie yelled out to the group.

"Hold on now!" Barrett had joined in on the fight. His gun arm warming up and ready to fire.

Cait rolled his dice magically causing damage to the creature. It's armor begun to crack.

Tifa unleashed her lighting2, it caused a bigger crack however it was not enough to cause the exoskeleton to fall off.

Knowing it had to be pulled off she ran to the bug again. Without Cloud and Red here she was the only up close fighter.

"Teef get out of there! Its too dangerous!" Barrett yelled out.

"I gotta get that armor off of it! Our attacks are not doing anything!" She yelled back.

There was an area on its chest that seemed loose enough for her to pull the exoskeleton off. She just needed to jump up and grab it while it was preoccupied. The creature on the other hand was more interested in Tifa's approach. It lunged to get a bite of her. Tifa yelled out as she brought her foot up to kick it in the jaw. Getting a good hit it jumped back. She needed to charge at it again. Every time she got close however it would just go back to bite her. She needed to run faster.

Before the bug to go and attack her this time though, Tifa found Vincent before her. He held up his golden gauntlet. The bug bit down on it trying to chew his arm off.

"Go!" Vincent yelled at Tifa.

She nodded moving past him and gripping the armored bugs chest. Flipping around so her feet were on its chest she pulled hard, the skin under the exoskeleton stretched and bled causing the creature to rear back in pain. Tifa pulled harder, the skin snapped, she managed to pull off a good sized portion of armor.

Vincent ran forward catching the falling woman before she hit the ground. He leapt back with a graceful jump and placed Tifa on the ground. "Well done." He charged once more firing his gun.

Cloud had run up and begun his attack, chips of the exoskeleton falling off.

Red jumped in moving behind the creature, his body seemed to glow as he moved with quickened berserked pace. He attacked ruthlessly at a leg. After several attempts, he managed to have one snap off.

Aeris moved over to Tifa. "Is your arm ok?" she asked.

Tifa looked down at the injured arm. She didn't even realize that she was holding it. "Ah… there is a sharp pain…"

Aeris looked it over and tried to heal it. "Seems like it is dislocated, we will need to snap it back."

Tifa groaned some, she looked behind her to see the lump.

"Don't worry I will have Cloud do it once he is done." Aeris giggled some.

Tifa sighed nodding.

"You did really good taking care of that monster… seems like with what you did it will be an easy fight." Aeris sat down next to Tifa.

"Ah… I suppose." Tifa really wanted to finish the battle; however the pain was too much to bear when she punched. She shouldn't have even pulled at the exoskeleton.

Tifa and Aeris watched as the bug was slowly taken down. Tifa couldn't help but watch Vincent move around the battle field. His golden gauntlet was really something. It didn't even have a scratch on it. And all of his bullets had always hit their target with extreme precision. His cloak didn't get in his way, nor did his long hair. He moved with such grace, it was like a dance. She couldn't help but watch him.

The creature wallowed in pain as it died. Tifa watched as Cloud delivered the final blow. He swung his blade, cleaning it of any blood that was on it. Vincent holstered his gun and turned to Tifa.

She looked away from him pursing her lips.

Aeris got up and waved Cloud over, "Hey Cloud, could you pop Tifa's shoulder back in for me?"

Cloud looked surprised, "Shouldn't we have a doctor do that?"

"It is important that we get this done as quickly as possible, to ensure that long term injury isn't inflicted…" Vincent moved over to Tifa and gripped her upper arm.

Tifa's eyes went wide before she clamped them shut. She let out a scream as Vincent shifted her joint back. Aeris already started to wrap Tifa's shoulder into a makeshift sling.

"Once I get some mana back I will cast cure on the area… Hopefully you will be back in fighting shape in no time" She heard Aeris say with a smile.

Tifa groaned as she peeked an eye to the wound. It looked normal enough, a bit swollen, but it will heal. Looking around she noticed Cloud close to her along with Barrett. Vincent had moved away from her talking with Red.

Letting out a huff she allowed Barrett to help her up. Yuffie immediately got up and carefully embraced her. "Oh Teef I am so sorry its most likely my fault your arm is like that. I should have listened and waited to go down the slide but I was just dreading it and wanted to get it over and done with-"

The small girl continued to ramble on, Tifa however didn't listen quite listen entirely. She was feeling more down on herself than anything at the moment and desired to be alone. No matter what was going on she had always seemed to slow the group down.

"Tifa?" She heard Cloud speak up.

Tifa placed a fake smile on her face, "Yeah?"

"Are you alright? You don't seem too well… We can make camp here if you like."

"No, I am fine… Aeris and Vincent did a good job, let's continue." She tried to put on a more real smile.

"Are you sure? It's not a problem." Cloud was really concerned for her well being. Tifa had to admit it made her feel good.

"I am sure, and besides the town isn't too far. I am sure Aeris will have enough mana way before to cure me and get me one hundred percent."

Cloud let out a sigh and a smirk, "Well if you say so… but if you need to stop just let me know."

Tifa nodded at Cloud. Barrett shook his head with a grin, "You are one tough chick Teef." He moved up to Cait helping the small cat right the Mog that had fallen over. Tifa took a few steps, she would need to carefully walk and not trip over anything.

With Cloud watching carefully over her for the next few miles Tifa couldn't help but feel better. He might have been Aeris's boyfriend however she couldn't help but feel that she still had a place in his heart.

She glanced to the back of their group to notice Vincent looking off to the distance. Red had run off to take care of an monster. She really admired her group and the different techniques that they used to fight. Cloud was like a knight, wielding a sword. When Aeris had to fight she used a long staff. Yuffie used that strange Shurikun weapon which was nearly as big as her. Barrett used his gun arm, Cait used dice and a megaphone which was very interesting to watch. Red his claws and teeth and finally Vincent used a gun.

"Oh!" Tifa spoke out. Barrett turned his attention to the fighter.

"You alwright there Teef? Need a break?"

Tifa shook her head slight embarrassed that they mistook her remembrance as pain, "Oh no.. I just.. remembered something that I have picked up a while back."

"Well ok… jes let us know" Barrett continued walking.

Tifa slowed her pace so that Red and Vincent would end up walking next to her.

"Is everything well Tifa?" Red questioned.

She nodded with a smile. "Yeah… Vincent in my pack, I picked up a gun a while back… Perhaps you could use it?" She turned so that he could go through her bag.

Vincent was hesitant in going through Tifa's belongings, however did so quickly. Finding a old revolver, he checked it over finding that it took a different type of ammunition. He would need to pick some more up at the next town.

"Thank you." He closed her pack back up and continued looking over the weapon.

The silence between the three of them was quite strange to Tifa. She tried to think of something… anything to break the ice. Should she ask about Lucrecia? Or how long had he been locked up? Most likely those were really personnel information that he wouldn't want to share with anyone, but there had to be something she had to ask him.

Red had let out a chuckle. Tifa looked over to the Lion creature to find him glancing at her. Tifa's face reddened some. Had he suspected something? Had he thought of something beyond simple conversation? "Well that's all I wanted to give you…" She jogged up to walk by Yuffie and Aeris, perhaps a small mistake seeing how her arm was in pain.

Yuffie looked to Tifa then back to the boys, then to Tifa again with a grin. "Ooooo."

"Quiet Yuffie" Tifa threatened, "I picked up a weapon a long while ago and figured he could use it."

Aeris too glanced back to see Vincent checking out his new gun. "Is that so?" She smirked some, "Are you sure you are not just warming up to the newcomer?" she winked.

Tifa flushed some, "Aeris! Not you too… sure he is attractive however I am not interested in any type of relationship" she whispered quietly. She felt like she was a schoolgirl telling her best friends to keep it down while the person of interest was behind her.

"Oh come one, it's cute Tifa" Aeris giggled.

"Will you both cut it out!" Tifa flushed even redder.

"Aw look at Teef! She's red like a cherry" Yuffie added fuel to the fire.

"Tifa? Everything alright? Your really red in the face…" Cloud had slowed to keep an even pace with Aeris. Just what she needed. "If you are tired-"

"No I am not tired!" Tifa accidently yelled. "I am fine! Let's just get to the next town.." she huffed marching forward ahead of the group.

'what is with those two? Teasing and bugging me about Mr. Dark back there' she huffed passing a confused Barrett and Cait.

She held her arm in pain as she finally reached Rocket town. Taking a deep breath she looked upon the town noticing a large rusted leaning rocket.

Cloud and the others approached soon after she had reached town. Aeris and Yuffie each gave one another a nod.

"Cloud, how about we split up and find out some information on where Sephiroth is headed?" Aeris questioned. "There are 8 of us all together… Perfect split into groups of 2's."

"2's? Its always been 3 or more.." Cloud scratched his head.

"Aw come one it is a town Cloud.." Yuffie rolled her eyes. "And besides we need to stock up! Especially on materia!" The ninja girl grinned.

Cloud laughed slightly oblivious to the girl in pink and the ninja's plot. Red had caught on to the exploit and shook his head in amusement.

"Well come on Cloud I want to go and see the rocket" Aeris begun to drag him off.

"Ah! Wait I havn't split up the groups yet!" Cloud nearly fell while being dragged off.

Tifa perked up some in shock, 'they wouldn't!' she thought. She turned around just as Barrett and Red trudged off to the inn, and Yuffie grabbing Cait and running off to the Materia shop. Tifa pursed her lips together looking over at Vincent.

He gave her a small shrug before moving past her and heading to the item shop.

Tifa groaned some and followed; she couldn't help but think of an small angel Aeris and devil Yuffie on her shoulder conspiring together giggling.

Tifa entered to store to see Vincent checking out some ammo. She moved over to look at any weapon that could be of improvement of her own. Noticing that she had the Cure2 materia still equipped she nearly smacked herself in the face.

"Of course… I could have healed myself" Tifa sighed beginning to cast. She rotated arm removing it from the sling and really felt stupid. She glanced over at Vincent who was still engulfed in whatever he was looking at.

She tucked the materia back into her belt and moved to lean on the counter of items Vincent was looking at. Nearly everyone seemed to be set on her getting to know Vincent, so why not make a fool out of herself… she already was forgetful enough to not notice the materia Aeris had given her. "So Vincent… how long were you locked up?"

Vincent didn't seem to remove his eyes from the case he was looking at, "Too long, and yet not long enough…"

'oh the philosopher…' Tifa wanted to roll her eyes, "Alright… I can take that for an answer, however I was looking for something along the line of days…"

"It would be more convenient to tell you in years… 25 years to be exact." He answered simply.

If it could, Tifa's jaw would have hit the floor, however instead she slipped off the counter stumbling to stand up, "25 years! But.. how? Wha? Who?"

Vincent's eyes moved to Tifa and held some amusement to them, "That is a story I am not yet ready to tell."

Tifa closed her mouth and nodded some. "Just… how old are you? You don't look a day over 25."

"I suppose… what was done to me had cursed me with immortality… If I remember correctly, I was 27."

Tifa mouthed 27 and adding 25 using her fingers she totaled his actual age and looked back to the dark haired man tilting her head some. She wanted to ask more questions however Vincent merely just walked over to another counter picking out potions and antidotes. Tifa stood in the same place, unable to comprehend what she heard. Immortal, never needing to eat, sleep, or any of that. Gaia it was just unheard of.

Tifa remained silent for the rest of the shopping trip, he had not once even asked her anything, though why would he need to. As far as he could see, she was weak, pathetic, clumsy, and compared to Aeris, not as pretty. Tifa stretched, pushing her mind to think that she wasn't even remotely interested in the first place.

Tifa ran into Vincent's back, not paying attention to the fact that he had stopped short.

"Ah Sorry!" She backed away from him, however he didn't seem to respond. Tifa looked past Vincent to see several buggy's drive up to Rocket Town. Tifa quickly saw red hair from inside one of them.

"Reno…" She clenched her fists.

Vincent had quirked an eyebrow looking to her. She shook her head looking back up at Vincent, "Reno, Rude, Elena, and Tseng… all Turks. They are trying to stop us from getting to Sephiroth."

He nodded and made his way to a more secluded spot. Tifa followed watching as the buggy's stopped. Rude and Reno had gotten out first, opening the rear door , the president stepped out, Rufus.

"That there is Rufus Shinra… President." She informed her partner.

Vincent didn't seem to lift a gaze at him, he was loading his gun.

Tifa looked down to wrists, tightening the leather so she would have a better grip.

"If we are spotted… it would be dangerous to fight…" Vincent informed.

Tifa looked back to Rufus's direction and noticed 20 Shinra soldiers spreading out guarding the important guest. She noticed that even the Space head Palmer was there. Just what was going on? Where they going to refund the space program? Knowing Rufus's intentions most likely not.

"Tifa…"

She turned to see that Vincent was moving away from their spot. Signaling her over she nodded and moved silently. Jumping over a fence with ease, Tifa couldn't help but be at awe with what she saw. It was a small aircraft properly named the "Tiny Bronco"

"Wow… do you think we can borrow this?" Tifa smiled.

Cloud and Aeris were on the other side of the aircraft, "Great minds think alike Teef" Cloud smiled. "We were just going to ask.

"Um… may I help you?" a timid voice spoke out.

The group turned their attention to a thin mouse-like woman. Her hair was tied up into a bun however she had loose strands on either side of her face. She wore a large lab coat that had seen better days.

"Ah… if you would like to use it… then please ask the Captain. He should be in the rocket mr.?" she smiled some.

"I'm Cloud, this is Aeris, Tifa, and Vincent."

"It's nice to meet you Ms." Tifa smiled.

"Shera."

"We already talked with Cid… he doesn't want us borrowing it." Cloud scratched the back of his head.

"Oh… " She frowned some.

"Sorry to have troubled you" Cloud smiled to try and cheer the woman up.

"Ah.." She nodded moving out of their way.

Tifa entered the house from the back door following Cloud and Aeris. She was surprised to see such a disorganized house. The extra rooms were loaded with blueprints, plane parts, and other things that they have collected.

Right when Cloud was about to go through the front door, it was slammed open. A scruffy looking man walked in scratching his sandy blonde hair. His face was weathered, stubble showing lack of care in shaving. He wore a pilots outfit; boots, trousers, dark t-shirt with a blue t-sleeved lightweight flight jacket. He even sported a pair of goggles on top of his head. He took out a cigarette and looked the group over raising a brow.

"^%#$!" He swore loud enough for neighbors to hear, "Shera what are you blind? Guest! Get some tea!" he yelled pointing at Cloud and the group.

"Ah! I… I'm sorry!" Shera made her way past Vincent and Tifa to get to the small kitchen. She begun to work quickly, the tea dishes clanking.

"Really don't mind us Cid, we were-" Cloud tried to speak before Cid interrupted.

"Shut up and sit your asses down and drink some damn tea. Man I am pissed!" Cid paced some, he seemed to be a bit stressed.

Cloud and Aeris took a seat at the three person table. Tifa looked over to Vincent to find him leaning against a wall. Tifa sighed taking a seat hesitantly.

"Sherea!" Tifa jumped as Cid yelled, "I'll be in the backyard tunin' up the Tiny Bronco! An' Make sure to serve them some tea!" The pilot left the house through the back.

"Shrea…" Tifa felt some pity for the woman.

"Sorry. It's our fault" Cloud apologized.

Shera however shook her head with a smile, "No, no need to be sorry. He is always like this."

"Always? You keep quiet even when he's like that to you?" Aeris frowned.

"It is amazing you can live with it.." Vincent added.

"No… it is because of my stupid mistake. I was the one who destroyed his dream." Shera turned pouring the hot tea into cups.

"What happened?" Cloud asked.

"I was a mechanic on his ship… I wanted to make sure everything went alright for him.. so he could achieve his goal in being the first person in space. However the oxygen tank…. It… the readings were saying it was functional however I didn't think it was ever installed correctly. I tried and tried again to correct it but it just didn't fit like the others. Perhaps maybe it was a defect? We didn't have the time nor the parts to replace it before take off so I did my best with what we had. They were ready to launch… The captain had found out that I was still in the engine room while the countdown was on…"

Shera held the tea tray looking down at her reflection in the green pool of liquid. "He pushed the emergency engine shut down switch, aborting the mission to save my life… After that, the space program was cut back, and the launch was canceled. It is my fault that his dream was destroyed… That's why, it is alright. I don't care what the captain says, I will live my life for him."

The back door opened causing Tifa to jump out of her seat. She moved closer to Shera as Cid entered the room. He sat in the chair Tifa was in propping his feet up onto the table. Glancing around he yelled out to Shera, "Damn Shera! You still havn't served 'em tea!"

Shera split several glasses as he called her. Turning she begun to prep more tea. "I'm sorry."

"They're late… Where is Rufus?" Cid sighed.

Cloud looked surprised, "Rufus?"

Cid seemed to ignore Cloud, his eyes darted to the front door as it opened. Palmer entered with a large smile on his face. "Hey-HEY! Long time now see Cid. So how have you been?"

"Well, well, well… If it ain't fat man Palmer." Cid grinned getting up. "So… When's the space program gonna start up again?"

"I don't know, but the president is outside. Why don't you ask him." Palmer sniffed around.

"Good for nothing fat ass…" Cid grumbled leaving the house.

Cloud looked from Aeris, to Tifa, then to Vincent who simply shrugged. With Palmer in the room it was quite uncomfortable.

"Oooh Tea! Is it ready yet?" Palmer moved over to Shera, "Make mine with plenty of sugar, and honey, and oh! Don't forget the lard too!"

"I'm gonna step outside to see what's going on." Cloud got up and soon left.

Palmer gulped down his tea and moved outside. Shera followed with a worried look.

"Should we go after them?" Aeris asked Tifa.

Tifa was about to answer when Cloud came back in. "Rufus wants to take the Tiny Bronco…"

"Cloud…" Shera came back from the back, "I believe Palmer's going to take the Tiny Bronco… why don't you talk to him?"

Cloud nodded, he led the others into the back to find Palmer already in the cockpit starting the plane up. "Hmm… why do I have to do this… I'm the head of the space program."

"Hey!" Cloud called out grabbing Palmers attention. "We'll be taking that Tiny Bronco!"

"I've seen you somewhere before… I know! In the Shinra building when the president was killed." Palmer gulped. He took out a gun and slid down the plane wing ready to fight. Dispite his size he was able to dodge a strike from Cloud.

Tifa tried to attack however like Cloud, she was avoided. Palmer fired several rounds at Aeris. She tried to shield herself, luckily Cloud moved just in time to take the hit.

Vincent fired off several rounds making Palmer back up. He held his hands up to his ears taunting the ex-Turk. As he did so the plane turned ever so slightly to where the propeller approached Palmer. The space program head noticed just in time to duck out of the way. He ran to try and catch the runaway plane when a truck crashed through the back fence hitting the fat man.

Tifa jumped back away from the debris, but away from the group. Reno and Rude stepped out of the truck casually. "Ooops.." Reno grinned to Rude.

The hairless Turk merely cracked his knuckles ready to fight.

Vincent lunged forward attacking Rude in hand to hand combat.

Tifa readied her fist to attack Reno, he however didn't seem to want to fight her. He stepped back with every one of her strikes just making himself out of reach by a hair. He smirked as he dodged her attacks, he was more checking her out than fighting back.

"Tifa! Vincent! Get on!" Cloud called out.

"It's wont stop!" Aeris yelled.

Tifa looked back to see that the Tiny Bronco was rolling to take off Cloud was helping Aeris get on. Barrett had Red on his shoulder as he boarded while Yuffie leaped on with Cait, Mog trailed not too far behind.

Tifa moved to jump onto the plane however Reno grabbed her elbow pulling her back.

"Cloud!" She called out. Reno pulled her into the truck and started to drive off despite leaving Rude behind. He begun to drive off ignoring the hits he was getting from Tifa.

"I am not going to hurt you." Reno groaned after a punch to the face.

"Let me go! You slimy bastard!" Tifa continued to struggle.

"Hey! Stop!" Reno tried to concentrate on stopping Tifa and sped off out of Rocket town onto a large field. His driving was swerved, sure to leave tracks. After hitting a few bumpy patches, Tifa and Reno had suddenly been ejected from the truck after driving into a tree.

Tifa laid 10 feet away groaning in pain. She glanced at her body to find glass scattered in and on her. her shoulder was torn up. The worse of her injuries was her leg. Blood poured from a deep gash.

Reno got up finishing casting cure on himself and moved to Tifa. "Man Tifa… you are sure a fighter…" He grinned.

Tifa managed to get up on shaky legs, starting to cast cure on herself, however Reno had other plans. He rushed her, hitting her in the stomach with his nightstick. Tifa groaned falling to her knees.

Reno grabbed her hair and pulled back to have her look at him. "You could have just let me take you… I would have been nice…" His eyes that were once full of carelessness and fun were now cold.

Tifa tried to fight however he pulled back harder on her hair causing Tifa to yell out in pain.

A roar was heard in the distance, Tifa concentrated to figure out if a beast would distract him from the woods however… it sounded like it came from the direction of the town.

Reno took out a pair of cuffs. "Sorry to do this babe, but I am going to have to turn you in… you could have just played nice and spent an evening with me." He placed them on with ease, of course this playboy wouldn't give her the chance to fight.

"Gaia help you Reno… If I can get my hands on you! After the crap you pulled at Gold Saucer!"

Reno chuckled, "Wish I did that… to tell you the truth, it was a bad cock blocker. After seeing you again in Gongaga… I was really surprised you made it out. I just had to get you back."

"You sleaze!" Tifa tried to fight again Reno.

Reno lifted Tifa so that she could stand. Despite feeling dizzy from her loss of blood, she struggled against his grasp. "Stop trying to get away, it's not going to save you." He pushed her forward so they would head back to Nibelheim.

Tifa's eyes went wide as she suddenly noticed a large monster in front of her. Digging in her heels to stop she bumped into Reno who in turn stopped activating his electric nightstick. "What the %#$^ is that?" Reno cursed.

The Beast was tall and thin with wolf-like features; it was covered in short black fur. It had a large crest on its chest, sharp and drawn out to its large boned spikes on its biceps. Black demon horns sprouted from the top of its head followed by a large mane of white hair. A red pelt covered its waist and flowed down to its wolf like feet. The monster clawed at the ground growling before standing at its full height of 10 feet. Tifa's knees gave, falling to the ground she paled. Its blood red eyes focused on her.

The monster roared, its mouth watered, falling to the ground as it lurched forward. Reno fell back scampering to get back up.

"R-R-Reno let me out of this" Tifa tried to pull her cuffs apart.

Reno however didn't answer, instead he was backing away to leave Tifa to the beast.

"RENO!" Tifa yelled as the monster fully charged. Tears streamed down Tifa's face, she looked away clamping her eyes shut waiting for death to take her, however she felt the beast leap over her. Tifa quickly looked to see the beast attack Reno.

Reno let out a scream as he struck the monster with his nightstick, however it didn't seem to have any effect. The monster breathed fire and clawed at Reno leaving him with serious burns and torn clothing. Blood seeped through his white shirt; he tried to once again attack the monster however only seemed to make it angry. The monster took one last swipe at Reno however missed taking down a tree. Reno took off sprinting getting away from the monster. Tifa tried to get up, her legs finally allowing her to move she took off running. Looking back she noticed the monster giving chase to her.

More tears streamed down her face as she concentrated on the path before her back to Rocket town. She wouldn't make it, she knew it. The monster was far too fast. Just as she thought the monster would get her, she bumped into something hard. She nearly fell back but an arm wrapped around her waist preventing her from doing so. Her eyes opened wide, fear still within them as she looked to her captor. She instead found her savior… Vincent righted her up standing, turning her and used his gauntlet claw to remove the cuffs.

Tifa looked around frantically looking for the monster that was chasing her. "Vincent! Oh Gaia we need to get out of here fast! There is this monster-"

"Tifa…"

"He.. he… he nearly killed Reno-"

"Tifa…" Vincent tried to calm the woman down.

"But then he started to go after me! And I was so scared I wanted to just die then and there!"

"I am that monster." Vincent spoke loud enough to draw Tifa from her hysterics.

Tifa blinked a few time processing the information…. Vincent… that large wolf monster? She shook her head some, "What? That… that's just impossible…"

Vincent furrowed his brows some with a sigh. "That… monster… is me. Galian Beat, is what it is called."

Tifa shook her head in disbelief, "No way… that's just.." She looked to his cloak, it looked strangely familiar to the pelt that the beast wore around its waist. Tifa approached and took the cloak in her hands touching it. Looking up she noticed Vincent's eyes on her observing her reaction.

"Vincent… What happened to you?" Tifa asked.

Vincent closed his eyes as if trying to force a memory out of his mind. "I suppose it is best to tell you... However I shall do so while we find the others."

Tifa nodded wiping her face. She cast a quick cure2, just enough to stop the bleeding and heal her larger injuries. She walked next to Vincent rubbing her wrists, still slightly sore from the cuffs she tried to break on her own.

"My story begins 25 years ago…"


	18. Trapped at Wutai, Corneo's Revenge

Evening everyone!

A very special thank you to Numinous-Alqua, your reviews mean a lot to me and give me the motivation to try harder at improving my writing. Thank you so much. ^^

A long chapter in thanks for the review ^^ Please enjoy!

Miss Ti

"I was a proud Turk… Having to work for professor Gast was the perfect job. To protect him and his work in the Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim was my job. He was given several assistants… Hojo, and Lucrecia."

Tifa couldn't help but hear the way her name rolled off Vincent's tongue. So filled with love and admiration.

"Professor Gast… well he… had passed… My job was then to watch over Lucrecia… I had fallen in love with her, and I had thought for the longest time she was in love with me…"

Tifa watched as Vincent's expression had softened. As if he was reliving several memories that would stay hidden. Perhaps one day she would hear about them… but for now, she got the short side of the story.

"She had mentioned that she was pregnant and that she was marrying Hojo… The baby was to be an experiment. Sephiroth… an innocent life thrown into an experiment involving the calamity from the skies. Jenova…"

Tifa eyes shifted from Vincent to the ground. A love unrequited, she knew much about that.

"I had tried to stop her from doing such a thing to her baby, but she wouldn't listen… After all, it was for science. I saw her deteriorate each day, growing weak and unstable… The Jenova cells Hojo injected her and her baby with, cursing her with long life, from then on she knew that she would forever be inflicted with pain. I couldn't take it anymore… I had confronted Hojo, and was shot for my insubordination. I thought I would have died, however he kept me alive… He used me as an experiment."

Tifa's eyes watered as Vincent continued.

"Too often did he use me as his test subject. When he was ready to throw me out however… She came. Lucrecia restored me, to the best of her ability, she tried to rehabilitate me. To undo the miscreation that Hojo had caused, however I was monster. I am not sure how ended up in that coffin, but judging by my hair growth, and my abilities… Whatever she had done to give me stability, has cursed me… It is a punishment I will gladly keep, for her, for not stopping her, for not stopping Hojo."

"Vincent…" Tifa thought hard of what to say. They reached the shore where they found a pink plane floating, Cloud, Barrett and Cid paddling to shore. By the looks of it, it was damaged and unable to fly anymore. "Vincent you shouldn't blame yourself."

Vincent looked to Tifa and she let out a small smile, "It's not your fault… there wasn't much you could do in that situation."

Vincent's eyes softened some, he turned his gaze back to the makeshift boat.

Tifa sat in the sand enjoying the warmth of the setting sun, "I guess… you should be happy."

"Happy?" Vincent looked down at her surprised.

"Yeah… Cloud, Aeris, Cait, Red, Barrett, Yuffie and I…. We found you… and you are now part of our family. We will take care of you Vincent." Tifa smile wide, her cheeks hurt, just how long had it been since she had smiled like that.

Vincent remained silent. Instead he too took a seat next to Tifa. With one leg bent he rested his claw on his knee watching the crew paddle their way to shore with Tifa.

"Tifa! You are alright!" Cloud jumped onto shore.

"Damn kid… shot the engine, she ain't worth fixing to fly." Cid cursed several times trying to get the Tiny Bronco to float better.

Tifa got up wiping the sand from her skirt nodding. "Thanks to Vincent here I am safe!" She smiled.

"Thanks man… without Teef here our group jes wouldn't be the same." Barrett pulled a seasick Yuffie off the floating plane.

Aeris jumped off and checked over Tifa, using her cure she healed most of Tifa's cuts and scrapes. "What happened after we took off?"

Tifa looked over to Vincent hoping he would explain, however he remained silent.

"Well, you see Reno took me hoping to get some questions answered…" 'along other things' Tifa cringed. "But Vincent came to my rescue… he was strong, fast, and really put that red headed jerk in his place." Tifa placed her fist into her other hand with a punch.

"I saw you in battle with Rude, to handle both Turks easily must take some strength." Red rolled around in the grass.

"Ah… She won't fly anymore" Cid jumped off of the plane into the knee length water.

"Could we use it as a boat?" Cloud asked.

"$#& ! Do whatever you want!" Cid yelled with a curse.

"Cid… what are you going to do now?" Aeris questioned.

"Dunno. I'm history with the Shinra.." he scratched his scruff, "And I've given up on the town…"

"But what about your wife Shera?" Tifa tiled her head folding her arms.

"Wife?" Cid let out a loud laugh, "That is just too funny.. Just thinkin' 'bout marryin' her gives me the chills. What're you guys gonna do?" Cid glanced around to everyone.

"Well we're after a man named Sephiroth. We'll have to get rufus of the Shinra someday too." Cloud explained.

"I don't know about any of that.. but what the hell, sign me up" He held out his hand to Cloud.

Cloud looked to his group, "Well, what do you guys think?"

Aries smiled, "I am all for it"

Tifa nodded agreeing.

"I don't mind.." Cait rang some water from his tail.

"Do what you like" Vincent didn't seemed too interested.

"Don't really care.." Red shrugged.

Cid huffed some removing a water soaked cig from his lips with a huff, "Well.. glad to be aboard numbskulls" he smirked to Cloud as he took the spiked blonds hand.

"Numbskulls?" Cloud looked confused.

"Well yeah! Anyone stupid enough to go against Shinra nowadays has gotta be a numbskull. I like it" Cid laughed some moving to Vincent and Red. Lifting the beast to its hind legs, he placed his arms over both their shoulders. "Rufus was goin' after Sephiroth towards the Temple of the Ancients."

Tifa couldn't help but smile as the two friends looked uncomfortable with the action.

"Really?" Cloud smiled looking to Aeris who also smiled, "Where is it? That temple of the Ancients?"

"Dunno. That numskull kid was tellin' me he was headin 'the wrong direction'… so maybe it's off this way" Cid let go of Red and Vincent pointing off across the water.

"It looks like we are near Wutai. Perhaps we should check there." Vincent suggested.

"Hm…?" Yuffie finally perked up.

Cloud thought, "Is something wrong with Wutai Yuffie?"

"NO! Nope nothing at all" She let out a fake laugh.

Tifa and Aeris shared a glance to their friend, but the ninja girl ignored boarding the plane with Cloud and the others. It was a tight fit, however they managed. Cid occupied most of the time telling them stories about his old flying days.

Tifa let out a heavy sigh, she enjoyed Cid's stories however she would enjoy hearing more of Vincent. Gailian beast was the name of the monster… wait. Vincent had called himself a monster. She glanced over to the cloaked man, her face forming a small frown. Did he really think of himself as such?

"Tifa? Are you paying attention?" Aeris asked looking concerned.

"Huh?" Tifa looked to the woman in pink embarrassed, "I'm sorry… I just…"

"You were just checking out the mystery man." Aeris giggled some.

"Ah… not in that perspective…" Tifa flushed some.

"Oh? Then what would you call it?"

"I just can't help but think of his situation. He was locked up for so long… a lot must have changed and…" Tifa tried to find the right words. She didn't know if Gailian beast was a kept secret or not…. Regardless, she wouldn't want to disclose such things.

"Oh… I see…" Aeris brought her hand to her chin in thought, "But I don't think much has changed…. Are you concerned for his family or something like that?" Aeris tilted her head.

Tifa winced, 'his family? What would they say to him… just where were they?' she thought to herself. How stupid could she be… this man held so many dark secrets…

Aeris noticed and felt awkward. "Uh, listen Tifa, I am sure that…. I mean… Perhaps you should get to know him? He has helped you quite often… You could make him feel more a part of our group and get more comfortable."

Tifa pursed her lips some with a slight nod. Of course she knew that she had to talk to him. The problem was where to begin. She scooted over on her hands and her bottom, closer to Vincent clearing her throat some to get his attention.

Vincent turned looking to Tifa. "Yes?"

"I… I want to thank you for helping me back there…" She spoke softly hoping that no one would hear, "And…I should have told you this a while back, but you are no monster."

His eyes seemed to hold some amusement in them. "Oh?"

Tifa nodded. "I know its hard on you… being immortalized and here with us now."

"Tifa, my family has passed long ago, Turk training has taught us to let go of everything we hold dear. I am quite sure that you shouldn't peruse me, or as your friends put it…. Go after someone tall, dark and handsome. You don't know half of what I am." Vincent turned his attention back to the sea.

"Wha…but…How…." Tifa growled some getting up rocking the ship some causing Cid to curse in her direction. "Fine! Sorry to have disturbed you." Tifa stormed back pushing Cid into the sea causing a laugh from Red and Cloud. Taking a seat next to a worried girl in pink she simply scrunched her face some folding her arms.

"Teef?" Aeris softly spoke.

"Don't bother whispering… he has quite the ability to hear things." Tifa's tone was firm. "And he won't have to worry about me ever again trying to be friends." She huffed.

Aeris looked to Vincent concerned and sighed. "I am sorry to have teased you about him Tifa… You know I mean well… and the way he saved you those times… I just thought.."

"Well you thought wrong…" Tifa sighed, "It's not like I was interested to begin with anyway…"

"Tifa…" Aeris felt terrible.

"I guess Turks just are all a bunch of jerks." Tifa spoke softly.

"Hm?" Aeris sounded confused.

"Ah… oh nothing." Tifa shook her head. The last thing she needed was everyone knowing what happened between her and Reno… Well nothing happened, except that kiss…stupid bastard. Tifa glanced over at Vincent to find him looking to her from the corner of his eyes. She glared at the cloaked man turning enough to avoid seeing him.

Cid swam back on the ship and stood in front of Tifa. She slowly glanced up at him seeing him glare down at her, a wet cigarette hanging from his lips.

"uh…hi?" She sheepishly smiled.

"HI? Damn woman what the hell was that for?" Cid took off his jacket wringing it out.

Tifa had enough with moody men, her smile faded into a scowl, "I figured I do something Shera should have done a long time ago. In this group you need to watch that mouth of yours." She got up placing her hands on her hips.

Cloud got up ready to intervene. He looked surprised at Tifa and her renewed spunk.

"I can ^$%& do what I want to ^$%& do missy." Cid spat back.

"You need to learn to respect a lady." Tifa spat back

"Guys, perhaps we should just calm down.. we have been at sea long enough and it can raise tempers.." Red sat up.

"Kitty you better know that I won't take this from this here." Cid pointed.

"This here? I don't know who you think you are but my name is Tifa… you better use it." She clenched her fists.

Cid let out a laugh fixing his goggles. "Oh I like you… you have some attitude to you. And I think I know a better nickname for you."

Tifa noticed Cid's eyes trail down to her chest. "Why you!" she reddened in the face before cocking back and landing a punch on Cid. The pilot was knocked back into the water. He got up rubbing his cheek with a grin.

Barrett even couldn't help but snicker at the situation. "If you didn't know… Teef here fights with her fists."

"I can see that" Cid got back onto the plane again rubbing his jaw, "You pack quite the wallop, in more ways than one from what I can guess." He took a seat next to Tifa hinting with his brows.

"Oh please… You expect a woman like me not to have heard it all?" she shook her head turning to converse with a giggling Tifa.

"I expect you to fall for someone like me. I bet you never even seen a true pilot." Cid smirked moving an arm around her waist. Barrett nudged Cloud with a grin, however the swordsman looked worried.

"Would you introduce me? I have never met one before." Tifa smirked back.

"Oh that hurts." Cid withdrew his arm with a chuckle, "I really like ya Tif. Given the chance we can become very good friends." He winked.

Tifa turned and laughed alongside Aeris. "Quite the charmer isn't he?"

"I see." Aeris agreed. The plane rocked some as Cloud sat next to her.

"He's not going to cause trouble for you is he Teef?" Cloud questioned.

"Whaddya mean by that spiky?" Cid spoke out causing Red to jump from his nap.

Tifa laughed some shaking her head. "Oh Cloud, I worked a hot bar in the slums. I think I can handle."

Cloud smiled wrapping an arm around Aeris. The two begun to converse together. Tifa's smile fell some, she couldn't help but feel empty. For some reason she had attracted the wrong people. She was too late for Cloud… Reno had one thing in mind, not to mention that whole incident with the coward ditching her from danger…. The people from the bar that use to come in were not suitable… Johnny… well he just never struck her as an option. She could forget about Vincent… And Cid… he was a bit older than Vincent… well his immortalized age anyways. And she couldn't help but feel that Shera really liked him.

The rest of the ride was pretty entertaining for Tifa. Cid continued to bust on everyone, he really wanted to have Red dip his fire tail in water to see if it would still be on, however the lion creature tormented him refusing to do so.

They arrived on the island Wutai was located on. Yuffie got off looking around nervously.

"The village is located north." Vincent informed.

Cloud nodded and started to lead the group. Tifa was at awe with the area. It was so exotic and beautiful. She stopped and groaned at a old wooden bridge they would have to cross.

"Don't fall now Teef" Barrett teased moving ahead.

Tifa glanced back at Vincent. His eyes carefully watched her. She let out a huff and moved on ahead. Making sure to keep a hand on the rope she reached the other side. Vincent moved past her catching her eye.

With a Hmpf she trudged on. They were getting close when a fidgety Yuffie jumped out in front of Cloud stopping the group from moving on further.

"Wait! Wait, wait, wait!"

"What?" Barrett looked around cautiously, "The hell happened, all of a sudden?"

Red's fur was sticking out some, "Don't scare me like that!"

"I know this area pretty well. It gets pretty tough past here. Better get ready." She said with a serious tone.

"You serious? And you sayin' that just now means you're up to somethin' right? Idont trust you." Barrett folded his arms.

"I dont see any signs of danger." Vincent glanced around carefully.

"No! It's really tough!" Yuffie expressed.

Cloud drew his sword just as a large group of Shinra soldiers jumped out.

"That's…. Sh…Shinra!" Cait fell back some onto his mog.

"What? Shinra?" Cid drew his weapon, a long spear.

"Hey, that's not them! These are the guys from before."

"Yuffie…" Tifa felt some pain, was she the spy? "You're not… you cant be.."

Yuffie looked to Tifa, her eyes pleading, "I didn't know! I have nothing to do with this one!"

"What do you mean 'this one'?" Red growled, "So you were concocting some evil scheme!"

Yuffie fidgeted with her shirt some shaking her head.

The soldiers begun their attack. Tifa jumped to action running at a nearby soldier. She noticed his weapon fall some at her approach, he was clearly shocked and scared of her approach. With a grin she grabbed the gun he held and thrusts the butt of the weapon up, getting the soldier in the chin. Finishing off with a kick she then ejected the ammo cartridge taking the bullets… Wait.. she looked to the shiny metal and questioned herself. Why was she doing this? Tossing the bullets onto the ground she looked at the rest of the group finding that they had finished taking the rest of them out just as quickly. This group was no match for their combined efforts.

Vincent moved close to Tifa startling her some. He reached down and took the bullets inspecting them. "Not my caliber, however could prove useful…"

Tifa rolled her eyes some moving on, she looked around for the ninja girl however she was nowhere to be found.

"What? My… My materia is missing!" Aeris spoke out.

Tifa's eyes went wide, she looked down to her belt and then to her gloves, her materia too was missing. "Yuffie!" She called out looking around.

"Where the hell is that damn kid?" Cid tossed a butt to the ground.

"She's done it again to us." Tifa sighed

"Inexcusable" Vincent added.

"Grrrrrgh! I knew she was after our materia from the start!" Barrett yelled out, "When I get my hand on her, I'll get our materia back!"

Red had sniffed around the area, "North! She ran off to the north!"

Cloud nodded and ushered the group to follow him.

Tifa ran alongside Red, Vincent had soon joined on the other side of the Lion. Tifa couldn't help but glance now and then to him. Whenever she did, his eyes always seemed to catch hers. Tifa puckered her lips some frustrated. 'This man… Just what does he want with me? Chasing me away one minute, then stalking me the next…'

They arrived out of breath at Wutai. Tifa wished she could have spent time to admire the structures, however they had a thief to catch.

Cloud pointed off at the ninja girl looking through a brown sack.

Yuffie 'Eeped' when she caught notice of them and fled into a large house. It was decorated beautifully, Koi ponds were decorated throughout. The smell was divine, cherry blossoms.

Cloud inspected the area. Cait however pointed up, "Nya! There she is!"

Cloud looked up as Yuffie jumped down dashing off before anyone could get a hold on her.

They followed her trail all over Wutai, however she couldn't be found. Cloud decided to split up the group. "Teef.." Cloud called over, "are you going to be alright if I pair you with Vincent again?"

Tifa groaned inside, however she smiled nodding to Cloud, "Of course Cloud… but why?"

"You both are really skilled. You took on Rude and Reno together and really did well. I figure you two would most likely find her and catch her for that matter."

Tifa nodded slowly, he did have a point. Vincent seemed smart… well-acted it. And they were both quick. In that form, Vincent was… just incredibly fast.

"Where should we look first?" Tifa asked Vincent.

Glancing around Vincent noticed a bar. "perhaps it is best we see if the barkeep knows where she hides."

Tifa nodded following Vincent, reading the sign she smiled. It was none other than the famous Turtle's Paradise.

Upon entering, the barkeep he out a friendly wave, "Hey! Welcome! More on a trip? Well just relaxand make yourself at home." He greeted.

Tifa smiled and skimmed the bar, however she quickly frowned upon seeing the red hair of a Turk.

"Let's go someplace else.." Tifa whispered.

Vincent quirked a brow at her, and ignored, making his way to the bar.

Tifa sighed following, right when she was about to pass the table Reno was seated at, Elena, popped her head up pointing accusingly. "Yu… You! How did you get here?"

Tifa's eyes went wide as she looked back at them.

Reno turned looking to see whom Elena was flipping about. Seeing Tifa, his eyes went just as wide, however he quickly covered his surprise with a grin turning back around.

Rude seated opposite of Reno hid his emotions behind his sunglasses.

"Never mind that…" Elena took out a gun, fidgeting to turn the safety off. Tifa held up her fists, not that it would do any good in a gun fight. "I guess it's fate that brought us together. Now get ready to die!"

Reno let out a sigh leaning back in the chair, he gave a smirk to Tifa, "Elena… you talk too much."

Elena looked to her partner confused, "W-what?"

"What are we doing way out here in the middle of nowhere?" he questioned taking a drink.

Elena put her gun back hesitantly. "We're taking our vacation and resting up from our work."

Reno placed his glass down glaring at the blonde. "And now our vacation is ruined."

"But… but.." She stuttered.

Rude even placed his glass down with a sigh. "Even the booze tastes bad now."

"I…. sorry." Elena sat down.

Tifa remained quiet, moving past the Turks she felt at ease. She needed to just stay away from Turks… period.

Vincent turned to Tifa, "She is not here."

Looking tired, Tifa forced a smile however it came out to be quite frightening with her scowling eyes. "Great! Lets look elsewhere…"

She left first, however was grabbed and pulled onto Reno's lap.

Elena blushed while Rude nearly choked on his drink.

"Tifa… long time no see." Reno smiled.

Tifa was shocked at the action, trying to squirm out of his grasp. "You have some nerve to try and talk to me let alone touch me!" she spat at him.

"Tifa, you know you enjoy this. It's plain as day that you want to be touched." He whispered to her ear.

Tifa couldn't help but shiver some at the action. After all, kiss they shared back at gold saucer did bring a feeling within her, if only a little. She quickly was brought out of her thoughts when a hand, or rather gauntlet grabbed her arm. Tifa was pulled up and held against Vincent's chest. She could swear she heard a growl within him, sounding almost monstrous.

"Last I checked… Turks were a special organization, known for their cool nature in professionalism." Tifa looked up to Vincent's face to see his eyes narrowed on Reno.

Reno quirked a brow, "Oh come on… Teef and I go way back." He grinned getting up. "Isn't that right Tifa?"

Tifa frowned some, with the recent meeting, "No… I don't think so." She tried to get out of Vincent's grasp however he held tight to her.

"Tifa come on… that last time.. it wasn't me. I had to follow orders. I am free now, on vacation even." Reno let out a charming smile. Gaia why was he so handsome…

"I believe we have someone to find Tifa…" Vincent looked down to her letting her go and stepping away.

Tifa huffed some placing her thumbs in the loops of her suspenders. "Right… have you seen Yuffie? Or are you going to refuse answering my questions. You still owe me from Gold Saucer Reno."

Reno grinned nodding, "Indeed I do… Check that large pot out there. I could have sworn I saw a kid climb in."

Tifa let out a small smile. She turned to let Vincent know however he was already off to the exit. Frowning she followed. 'what is with him?' "Vincent!" She called.

Tifa noticed Vincent stop in his tracks, his back to her. He didn't turn to acknowledge her. Why the heck was he just suddenly acting like this? What in Gaia's name could possess him to just leave her like that.

"Vince… You can't just leave me like that!" She stopped not but 3 feet away from him.

"Every moment wasted lets Yuffie get away." He responded monotonously.

Tifa narrowed her eyes some, "Are you… mad at me for something?"

He turned his head some to catch her eye with the corner of his. "No, we must be off."

Tifa frowned some following Vincent out of the Turtle Paradise. Was he like every other man and thought Tifa would just leap into the arms of everyone who had a cute smile?

The front of the store had two large pots. Vincent moved to one of the two and took out his new gun. Tifa's eyes widened at the weapon he used, the gun that was carelessly left in Kalm now had shine to it. Vincent pulled the trigger back causing it to click.

"Wah!" Yuffie jumped out of the pot causing it to tip over and break. "Don't shoot! I give!" she waved her hands franticly.

Tifa couldn't help but laugh some. "Yuffie why did you trick us again?"

"I didn't mean to…" She sighed, "I… We need the materia to help fight against Shinra… My father however doesn't want to fight them however… He is just waiting to obey them just like all the other towns." Her fists clenched. "The mighty Wutai I once knew… is no longer.. That is why I need Materia. To make Wutai strong again!"

"But stealing it is wrong.. you can't do that Yuffie. And besides we have a bigger problem at the moment. We need that strength." Tifa explained.

"I… i… I know.. I was wrong. You win." She huffed, "I will give back the materia." She led on towards the first house they decided to search upon arriving. It was the lords house; Tifa was shocked to find out that their Thief/Ninja was actually the Wutai Princess.

Leading the both of them to her room Tifa stopped at the center of the room at awe with the decoration. Everything was bold and full of royalty. Reds and gold's everywhere.

"This way." She sighed leading them through a sliding wall. Yuffie led them down a set of stairs, this room was much cooler. Tifa and Vincent looked around what appeared to be a training room. Dummy's littered the room all showing wear. "It's just right here." Yuffie reached to a chest. She opened it with a grin which was caught in Vincent's eye.

He quickly pulled Tifa close to him just as a cage dropped from above trapping them. Tifa stared wide eye at the area where she stood. If would have crushed her.

"Yuffie!" Tifa yelled moving out of Vincent's grasp to the bars.

Yuffie however quickly grabbed a sack and quickly left the room leaving them.

"YUFFIE!" Tifa yelled more.

Vincent brought his hand to his ear rubbing it, "Yelling will not work. We must wait until we can figure a way out or someone rescues us."

Tifa sighed as she slumped down. Sitting against the bars she looked up at Vincent who remained standing, his back to her. Tifa couldn't help but think that he was really mad at her. Was it what Reno had said? Did he overhear? What was she thinking, of course he overheard… The man had insanely good hearing. He could probably even hear her think.

"Reno… he and I had this… well what he calls a date." Tifa looked to her feet feeling nervous. "You see I was at gold saucer with the others and Cloud gave us a break. So I went off and ran into him. He told me that he would give me information on where Sephiroth was heading for a simple date. I didn't like the idea however; we were lost and didn't know where to go. We watched a show, and then he wanted to play some games. We were almost spotted by Cloud, he pulled me behind a tree and hid me… he kissed me." Tifa felt herself flush some.

"What you do is not a concern of mine."

Tifa looked up to see Vincent standing with his side to her, his eyes looking down at her seated position.

"Well then what the hell was that then?" Tifa stood utterly confused. "One moment you are protecting me and then the next you are pushing me away. I just want to be your friend and the way you are acting with me it is so frustrating and confusing."

Vincent remained silent as if processing her words.

"Vincent I don't want any relationship with anyone right now. I have been through far too much and I feel as if the journey hasn't even started yet. What I did with Reno I regret every time I meet him." Tifa held herself feeling a slight chill from staying in the room too long.

"I apologize however you should do well in avoiding me. I do not want to cause harm to you." Vincent finally spoke.

"You have saved me from falling to my death, a giant bug crushing me, this cage crushing me, and Reno capturing me. I don't think you are one to cause harm Vincent." Tifa smirked.

"It is a reaction…" He merely told her.

"Well you got some good timing to you."

"You may thank Hojo for the alteration."

Tifa shook her head. "I thank you Vincent." She smiled up at him.

His eyes softened some, he however looked away.

"Are we friends?" She walked up to meet his gaze.

"Will you never cease to insist on such?" Tifa could feel him grin behind his cloak's cowl.

Tifa shook her head no. "I am as stubborn as they come." She smiled.

"If it is your wish, then I shall be a friend of yours."

Tifa beamed smiling wide with a laugh, "Great, and please don't take what Yuffie and Aeris say to heart… I mean… I kind of had a crush on Cloud and they just want to see me happy since Aeris is seeing Cloud and they thought that you were interested in me by the way you save me and protect me-" Tifa begun to ramble.

"Tifa…" Vincent stopped her from continuing her story, "It is not an interest of mine."

"Oh come on now you honestly think I will believe that? You nearly tore my arm off getting me away from Reno." She smiled shyly.

Tifa heard Vincent let out a small chuckle. The quietness of the room allowed her to even hear her own heartbeat. It felt heavy as she occasionally looked at Vincent. He stayed true to glancing around the room trying to find a way out, however it didn't seem like he was in a hurry.

Tifa got up and tried to lift the cage, however found it impossible. "Hey do you think that Galian Beast could be able to lift this?" Tifa looked over her shoulder to Vincent. His eyes quickly met up with hers in surprise.

"Tifa… I would never summon Galian beast unless our lives depended on it. I have little to no control over it."

"Oh… well. I didn't mean to surprise you like that… I just figured that you saved my life in that form."

"It saw you as too easy of a target." Vincent simply stated.

"Ah… gottcha." Tifa sat back down. "Does it hurt? To change into it?"

Vincent decided to take a seat across from Tifa. He leaned back against the bars, his long legs nearly touched the other side of the cage. "It will forever cause me pain."

"Because it's something that you are not?" Tifa tilted her head some hugging her legs.

"It is a constant threat I will live with for perhaps the rest of my life."

Tifa watched Vincent watching her expression. She smiled sweetly resting her head on her knees. "I hope one day the pain will go away… You are too nice of a person to deserve such pain." She said with a yawn.

"I willingly accept this. It is my punishment."

"Seems like a bad kind of punishment… who is going to forgive you to make the pain stop?" Tifa closed her eyes.

Tifa gently fell asleep, she didn't know how long she was awake for, Vincent had never answered her. Did she fall asleep before his answer? Or did he just never answer her.

She had another frightening dream, however when she was supposed to wake up, she couldn't. She looked around her and felt something cold on her hands. Looking down she realized that her hands were on her father, trying to stop a bleeding wound. He gasped for breath before looking to her. Letting out a small smile he tried to brush a stray hair away from his daughters face. The touch never made it; his hand fell lifelessly to his side. Tifa felt the tears stream down her face. "Sephiroth… he did this to you didn't he?" she felt the words leave from her mouth. Tifa knew what was to come, the horror of what would happen next, however she couldn't stop herself from getting up. She picked up the discarded sword that belonged to Sephiroth and moved into the main chamber room. She looked up to the man with silver hair, his back turned to her. "Sephiroth!" She yelled out at him getting a better grip on the hilt of his weapon. She ran up the stairs in rage; however the man dodged the strike grabbing his sword, his hand over Tifa's. She gasped in horror as he leaned into her. 'Wait… he was supposed to have slashed me by now' Tifa replayed the memory from her mind. The dream was more frightening. Sephiroth let out a low chuckle, leaning closer until their noses touched. He opened his mouth and his tongue slithered out licking at Tifa's lips. She whimpered struggling to get away however her body was frozen. Tears wanted to fall but they couldn't. She saw him dip down capturing her neck in his mouth. The bites and licks, they felt so real. Tifa cringed and screamed out, "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"

Sephiroth continued his assault, his free hand reached behind. She could hear a tearing, the cowgirl vest she wore suddenly torn to shreds.

"Tifa wake up!" she yelled to herself.

"I won't allow that… not yet." Sephiroth's voice was low and husky.

"No!" She yelled trying to move yet again. It was however futile.

She could hear another tearing, her white t-shirt was soon gone leaving her in her skirt and bra.

"Wake up! Wake up!" She continued to fight with herself. "Somebody wake me up!"

Sephiroth stood tall, his clawed hand moving down her sternum to the valley of her breasts. Tifa's eyes went wide, she felt the tears suddenly give and her arms frozen in place warm. With a glare she dropped the sword and swung her fist to performing a perfect uppercut. Her eyes were soon engulfed in white, she could hear a groan, the hit landing successfully.

Tifa jumped from her sleep to find her fist in the air still. Looking around she noticed she was still in the cage, in front of her was not Sephiroth, but Vincent. He held his face in his unarmored hand.

"Oh! Oh Gaia!" Tifa moved up to her knees and moved closer to Vincent. "I am so, so sorry!"

Vincent glanced over at Tifa, Tifa couldn't decipher the look in his eyes. "…. Bad dream?"

Tifa winced some, "you… you could say that." She noticed him remove his hand to look at it. He was bleeding. "Let me look at you." Tifa moved even closer. Vincent let her lower his masking cloak so she could better inspect his face.

Tifa's mouth went agape at the site of him. The lower half of his face was just as pristine as the top. His jaw was narrow, lips were a beautiful pale color, and his nose formed a perfect point, well it would at least when she was done correcting it. Tifa couldn't believe herself; she punched Vincent breaking his nose.

"I am so sorry Vincent." She apologized again. Tifa removed her gloves and took out a napkin from her bag to dab away the blood. The look in his eyes held amusement and something else Tifa couldn't figure out. His face never held much emotion, yet those eyes would tell her stories if he let them. Tifa noticed that his nose wasn't going to swell up, she had fixed a broken nose before with her Sensei. "This is going to hurt just a bit." Tifa warned preparing to shift his nose back into place.

"Go ahead." He relaxed some.

Tifa moved the nose carefully; she could hear a slight crunching noise as she re aligned it. She smiled to Vincent as she done so. His skin was cool to her fingertips; then again it could have been the room. She flushed some as his eyes watched her own. After being satisfied with the adjustment she smiled, letting her fingers linger on his face a bit more before he fixed his cloak.

"Once I get the cure materia back, I will heal that right up for you." Tifa smiled placing a stray hair behind her ear.

"Thank you." Vincent nodded some.

They both remained silent for some time, until Vincent's head shot up. He got up and fired a round carefully into the ground.

Tifa shielded her ears just in time confused. "What was that for?"

Vincent remained quiet, listening. Tifa could hear footsteps coming down to the training room area.

"He-hey!" she yelled out.

"Tifa?" she heard Clouds voice.

"Cloud! We are trapped down here!" She called back.

Aeris and Cloud soon moved into the cool room. Tifa smiled with relief as he quickly moved over to look at the mechanics Yuffie used to trap them.

"Are you alright?" Aeris moved to the both of them still behind bars.

Tifa sighed in relief nodding, "We are alright, well if you could cure Vincent's nose.." Tifa flushed some.

"His nose?" Cloud asked pulling on a lever.

The cage slowly lifted and they were finally free. Tifa stepped out from the cage area and stretched. Looking over Aeris went to inspect his nose, he however politely refused. "It will be tended to once we get our materia back from Yuffie."

Cloud and Aeris nodded the four of them teamed up. Cloud had received a tip that Yuffie may have gone into hiding. There was a gate under the platform on which a giant bell was placed.

"Did Yuffie manage a hit on you Vincent?" Aeris questioned.

Vincent glanced over at Tifa, Aeris followed his eyes and was surprised, "Tifa? You did it? Why?"

"I didn't mean to… I fell asleep!" Tifa scowled some.

Cloud let out a laugh, "Yeah, I would stay away from Tifa when she is sleeping. With those dreams you have been having, I am surprised he was the only one hit."

Tifa let out a sarcastic laugh to Cloud and noticed Vincent tense some. "Well I can't help what I dream about..." her voice softened, mainly talking to herself aloud, "However since starting the journey they have gotten much worse."

Tifa noticed Vincent glancing to her; she smiled some embarrassed waving it off dismissively.

They reached the large bell outside of the Yuffie's family house. Cloud drew back a long wooden log and released, ringing the bell. They heard the gate slowly open.

"Let us take caution. Yuffie has seemed to set many traps." Vincent allowed Cloud and the women in first.

Tifa glanced around the hallway; they could hear the struggling of a woman.

"Let go! Let go I said!" Yuffie tried to escape the confides of her bindings. She was wrapped up in quite a bit of rope.

"Hey!" Cloud drew his weapon looking to a familiar looking man with a blonde Mohawk.

Tifa groaned some as she recognized the red coat and gaudy necklaces around the heavy set man.

"Ho, ho!" Don Corneo turned to face the group; behind him was a disgusted looking Elena.

"Corneo?" Cloud shook his head in disbelief.

"Hohi! I've finally got a new Chicky, two to be exact." He licked his lips some.

"You are going to regret this!" Elena fought against her bindings.

Two of Corneo's lackeys suddenly appear from a back door. Each one grabbing a bound woman, they quickly ran off. Corneo was not far behind them.

"Hey! Don't run!" Cloud started to make chase.

They ran through the labyrinth like maze and reached the outside.

Cid was on his back rubbing his head, "Damn fat $$..."

"Cid! You alright?" Tifa asked.

"This crazy ^ #$ just ran by shoving me. Ran up to that strange scared rock place."

"The shrine or something like that…" Reno spoke out.

Tifa and the others turned to see the Turk followed by his counterpart Rude.

Cloud readied his weapon however Reno shook his head. There would be no fight between them.

"That Corneo is good at Escaping…"

"…. Elena." Rude spoke softly.

Reno nodded, "Let's go Rude. We'll give them a taste of what the Turks can do."

They both ran off ahead of the group.

"Come on, we need to get to Yuffie before they do." Cloud helped Cid up.

They followed the Turks however stopped as they reached the mountain. It was an amazing site to behold, each one of the gods that the people of Wutai believed in were carved into the face of the large rock. Reno and Rude were stopped a bit of ways up at a crossroad.

"Well… that sounded pretty good." Reno scratched his head. He noticed Cloud and the others not too far and waved them over.

Tifa groaned as she approached them.

"If Elena is in his hands, that's going to make things a little difficult... and… uh..." Reno looked away some.

Cloud got the picture, he was asking for help. "Ok.. Corneo took Yuffie from us." He explained simply.

"Just beautiful!" Cid yelled out sarcastically. Tifa winced at his voice, for trying to sneak up on Corneo, Cid was doing a 'marvelous' job at keeping quiet. "And without that brat we can't get our damn materia!"

"Don't misunderstand." Reno shook his head some, "We have no intention of joining you, but for now… we'll agree not to bother each other. That's all."

"That's fine." Cloud nodded, "we have absolutely no intention of cooperating with the Turks either. Now us… just what direction did Corneo run off too?"

Tifa looked around trying to spot the man… with his vibrant attire, he shouldn't be that hard to find.

Rude fixed his glasses, from behind them Aeris could see him glance up at a direction.

"Cloud… this way!" Aeris pointed running up the mountain.

"Aeris be careful!" Cloud followed.

Tifa, Vincent and Cid followed soon after. They reached the Da-chao monument and saw Yuffie, and Elena tied upside down, hanging off of the mountain threatening to drop to their deaths.

Corneo was seated at the palm of a large hand not far from Yuffie and Elena. He gawked at the two women, "Hmm… Delish! Simply Scrumptious. I think I have found a new hobby." He grinned, "Which shall it be first… should I go with her?" He looked to Elena.

"He-hey! I am a Turk! Don't think you can get away with this!"

"Or maybe her?" Don looked to Yuffie.

"oh Gwad!" She shuddered, "If I knew this was going to happen I would have taken rope escape lessons more seriously!" She squirmed despite the long fall.

"I have made my choice!" Don got up from his seated position, "My companion for the night will be…. This cheerful one!" he pointed to Yuffie.

"Gross-ness!" Yuffie yelled out, "Don't mess with me old man you don't even have any materia!"

"Oooo she's saucy!" he chuckled.

"Alright that's enough!" Cloud intervened with his weapon drawn.

"What? What's going on?" Don looked to their direction, however didn't seemed shocked or threatened.

"Cloud! Oh man am I glad to see you!" Yuffie sighed.

Aeris took out her staff tapping it against the palm of her hand, "You know that fall really hurt." She glared at the perv.

"Be quiet! None of you know how much I have suffered since then. It's a long story, but-"

Tifa cracked her knuckles ready for a fight, "We don't want to hear it! Just let those two go!"

"Hmm…" Don had a devious grin on his face, "You guys are… serious. Good, good. This ain't no time for me to be fooling around either. You killed my poor Aps, now come face my New pet! Rapps!" Don snapped his finger.

Tifa gasped but remained composed ready to fight as a long thin dragon like creature flew up. Rapps let out a shrill roar and flew around the group. Tifa noticed Don get low clutching onto the statues finger.

"Vincent, it looks like you have to draw it in for us!" Cloud readied to cast Fire2.

Cid took out his spear twirling it several times before leaping up into the air towards Rapps. "Damn % #^!" he managed to jab at the creature and use it to jump back. Its skin was tough, almost like the exoskeleton of the giant bug they faced earlier.

Vincent took both of his guns firing at the creature. It shrieked in anger flapping its arms hard. Tifa noticed green blades shoot out as he flapped. "Aero attack!" She threw her forearms in front of her guarding herself. She could hear a yell come from behind. Aeris had been hit and knocked nearly off the statues arm.

"Cloud!" Aeris cried out. The swordsman quickly ran to her aid, pulling her up.

Rapps took this as an opportunity to dive in and attack the both of them. Tifa jumped out in front and timed a perfect elbow, slamming the beast to the ground. It flailed around trying to get back into the air. Cid took action and jumped onto the creatures back jabbing it with his spear. He groaned struggling to keep the monster pinned. Vincent joined adding weight to keep the beast down. Cloud managed to pull Aeris up and reached out for his sword. With one swift movement he managed to find a weak spot on the neck; beheading the beast. Even without its head the monster continued to flail around. Cid jumped off of the beast and Tifa moved Aeris clear from its wild movements. It finally rolled off the edge of the statue falling to its final resting place.

Cloud approached Corneo, the fat man now sweating nervously, "W-wait! Just wait a second!"

"Shut up!" Cloud yelled out.

"Just listen to me.." he regained his cocky demeanor, "Why do you think a bad guy like me would swallow his pride and plead for his life?"

Tifa shook her head, was he going to trick them again?

"Because he is clueless." Cloud rolled his eyes.

"Close.. but no cigar." He pushed a button on a remote he had clung onto.

Both Elena and Yuffie shrieked as the rope that held them begun to rip.

"Damn it!" Cloud cursed.

"Coward" Tifa added.

"Now… give me your women too" he licked his lips glancing at Tifa and Aeris, "It looks like I will have the last laugh. Ha, ha, ha!"

"No that will be us."

Everyone turned to see Reno jump carefully to the area Elena and Yuffie were at.

"The Turks?" Corneo looked surprised.

"You knew this was gonna happen ever since you leaked that secret… We're going to take care of you… Personally." He grinned.

"Dammit! Then they're going with me!" He pointed to Yuffie and Elena. Don readied to push his button when a knife came flying through from behind Clouds group and into Don's neck. He clutched at the knife and wound gasping for air. Rude casually stepped up from behind and moved in front of Don who tried to squirm away. The dying man however just edged closer to his demise.

"Good timing Rude."

The bald man with shades nodded, "Let's get to work."

Reno jumped down in front of Tifa and winked to her, "Alright Corneo… He strolled over next to Rude. "This'll be over quick so listen up. Why do you think we went to all the trouble of teaming up with those guys to get you? Is it because we were ready to die? We were sure of victory? Or because we are clueless?"

Don coughed up blood. With a shaky hand he held up two fingers.

"All wrong." Reno stuck his tongue out. He kicked at the knife in Don's neck digging it deeper. Corneo's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he toppled over, falling off the hand down to join Rapps. Reno turned to Cloud's group. "And the correct answer was?"

Rude casually fixed his glasses, "Because it's our job…" Rude jumped across back to Elena and Yuffie. He pulled up the blonde first.

"Oh thank you very much!" Elena let out a sign of relief. "I never expected you'd to come and help."

"Elena don't act so weak… you're a Turk." Reno smirked to his partner.

"Y-yes sir." She nodded.

"Thanks for your help" Aeris smiled to the red head.

Reno gave out a large grin waving the thanks off. A loud chocobo wark sounded confusing Cloud and the gang. Reno casually took out his phone and answered. "Yeah? … This is Reno… Yes… Yes…. I'll get right on it.." he closed his phone putting it back into his pocket.

"Was that the company?" Elena asked.

Reno looked over at Clouds group, his eyes resting on Tifa, then slightly above her. He sighed, "Yeah… they want us to find Cloud."

Rude fixed the sleeves of his jacket, "Are we on?"

"No…" Reno answered moving closer to Clouds group. He stopped flicking the blond swordsman's spiked hair. "Today… we are off duty." He continued on. Elena and Rude nodded jumping down from the narrow position to follow Rude.

Tifa smiled some and then looked over to a still hanging Yuffie, "Hey! Get…. Me… Down!" She yelled out.

Cid let out a loud laugh before reaching out with his spear cutting the bindings around her. Yuffie 'Eeeped' catching the rope using it to swing to Clouds position.

"You better give us back our materia Yuffie." Cloud warned.

"Yeah.. don't worry I will.. lets go back to my house." She smiled.

Tifa turned to leave bumping into Vincent whom was standing directly behind her. "Ah..sorry."

Vincent just turned walking back down the mountain path.

Yuffie practically pranced over the Tifa, "So… do you forgive me? Especially for locking you two up?"

Tifa couldn't stay mad at the ninja girl. With a nod she took her friends hand in hers. "Of course I do. Don't ever trick us again though."

Yuffie beamed nodding.

They had reached her house. Taking out the bag she hid the materia in Yuffie quickly moved to each group member placing materia regardless of what it was into their slots.

"Hey… the placement of it is all messed up." Cloud took out a cure2 materia handing it to Aeris. She promptly gave him a counter materia, then moved to heal Vincent's nose.

"Oh don't be so picky. Anyways, that Corneo guy's a real pain. I'd rather deal with my dad than deal with that guy."

Cloud finished finding his original materia and then moved outside.

Red let out a yawn before following with Cait on his back. Apparently the Mog he rode on fell from some height breaking while chasing after Yuffie.

Barrett mumbled something about teaching the kid a lesson however didn't take any action. Yuffie stayed by Tifa, afraid that the rest of the group truly hated her for what she had done. They started to make their way back to the tiny bronco.

"Huh… I guess some of those guys from the Turks are good, huh?" Yuffie smiled to her friend.

"I still wouldn't trust them." Tifa softly spoke.

Yuffie just shrugged. "Oh that's right Cloud! My father overhead me saying you were going to the temple of the ancients. He said that in order to get in, you will need the keystone.

Cloud turned with Aeris, a questioning look on his face, "A keystone? Where will we get that?"

Yuffie shrugged, "I dunno, but I saw that guy in the spandex have one on display when we had that break… at Gold Saucer!" She cheered.

"Perhaps he will let us barrow it." Cloud thought.

"It wouldn't hurt to ask Aeris smiled.

They reached the tiny bronco just as it was getting dark. They decided to set up camp and wait until morning before setting out. The last thing they needed would be to get lost at sea.


	19. Fight on Wutai's Beach and the Keystone

Happy Weekend all, I honestly couldn't wait for these lovely days off. =D

I firstly want to thank Numinous-Alqua for your wonderful review. Your review get me through writers blocks enable me to make my weekly update. And I apologize however you will have to wait one more week for the Gold Saucer event ^^ however I hope this chapter does not disappoint.

I thank everyone who reads this story, and hope you enjoy.

~Miss Ti

"Alright guys, we got a little bit of time before the sun sets and we start shifts." Cloud threw off his bag and rubbed his non armored shoulder, "Let's set up camp and just relax some."

"Aren't we going to gold saucer?" Red smirked.

"We won't be there long. I really want to make sure Sephiroth doesn't get his hands on the materia at the temple of the ancients."

"Materia?" Tifa looked confused.

"Oh that's right you two were locked up." Cloud thought back.

"We have heard that Sephiroth is after the Black materia at the temple of the ancients." Aeris informed.

"It is said to be the ultimate destruction materia." Cloud added.

"Oh, that's terrible." Tifa opened her pack in thought. She took out some pans and looked around the group. "What will we be eating today?"

"Cook up some instant soup… Nothing too heavy or harsh for Yuffie." Cloud smirked.

"Just thinking about that boat makes me sick." Yuffie paled.

"Man we should jes leave her… who knows when she will trick us again." Barrett fumed.

"Nya… we should trust her.. after all she got us more materia." Cait grinned.

"I expect my materia back at the end of this journey" Yuffie huffed.

"Hey Tif, we got any booze?" Cid moved and sat next to the fighter. Cid peered through her bag and managed to spot some whiskey. Grabbing it he ran over to Vincent and Barrett whom were setting up tents.

Tifa rolled her eyes as she handed a canteen over to Yuffie, whom promptly ran off to get some water with Red.

Aeris was still going through mostly everyone's materia, ensuring each one went to its proper user.

Cloud moved close to Aeris, Their eyes met; Tifa could feel the love each one of them had for one another.

With a soft smile Tifa started to break open each pack of instant noodle. She figured with the boys appetite, 4 packs should be enough. Cait pounced over to Tifa, "Did you want me to cook?" he questioned.

"I didn't know a toy could cook." Tifa smirked some.

"There is a lot I can do to help." He took the large pot, it was just as big as him. "Shame about not leaving so soon… the sooner we get to Sephiroth the better."

Tifa nodded in agreement.

"I mean... Like this materia is crazy powerful… Sephiroth is crazy powerful as it is… Nya?" Cait looked up to Tifa fixing his crown.

Tifa giggled at the stuffed toy. She had always had the urge to pick it up and embrace it like it was one of her old toys. However this one had life to him, who knows what would come of it.

"Hey…" Tifa flushed some, "Cloud you perhaps… tell me my fortune?" she whispered.

Cait let out a large grin, "Why of course!" He begun to dance some and soon picked out a card from behind his little cape. He handed it to Tifa. Surprised at how long it was she read it to herself.

'Your luck is about to change. -What was elusive will now be available when you are honest with your love, honesty and warmth will come back to you.'

Tifa thought some; Cait peered over to read what Tifa had got. She smiled and flushed some hiding the card. "Thanks Cait." She placed the card in her pocket. Yuffie placed several canteens besides the fighter than ran off to complain to Aeris and Cloud that she didn't get powerful Materia like Barrett or Cid.

Tifa shook her head and begun to empty the canteens into the pot.

"So ye not gonna tell me who he is?" Cait grinned.

Tifa shook her head with a sigh, "Nope, there is no one."

"Aw lassy, there has to be someone." Cait helped unscrew a canteen.

Tifa glanced, from the corner of her eye she saw Vincent holding a tent line taught. His eyes were carefully watching her. She flushed some and continued to cook trying her best to ignore his stares.

Red had lit the fire, all Tifa had to do was wait for the water to boil. Yuffie had run back with some fresh fruit from the area. Deciding that it would make a great appetizer she decided to chop them up. Cid was already getting hammered; he swung an arm around Cloud and Aeris offering them a drink. They thanked for the offer however declined, instead both getting up finished with their task, they decided to skim the beach. Red plopped down next to Tifa. She scratched her friend's ear and he let out a chuckle.

"It has been a while since we have talked." Red curled some allowing Tifa to lay back and rest on him.

She giggled some nodding, "Yeah… We have been on the move a lot… I feel like we are finally catching up." She smiled.

"Sephiroth… I feel we are not yet ready to face him." Red mumbled.

Tifa looked to red surprised. She didn't know how to even respond to that. Sure she had the hopes that they would have an epic battle that would end Sephiroth and make the world safe again, but Red was right… he was far too strong. They had trouble beating a couple of Turks, what makes them think that they could defeat the ultimate SOLIDER?

Tifa let out a sigh before sitting up and stirring the soup. It was almost time to add the seasoning. Barrett came by and sat down across from the fire.

"Man, freaky $$ vampire." Barrett moved to detach his gun arm for cleaning.

Tifa tilted her head confused; it was obvious that he was talking about Vincent.

Barrett's eyes met Tifa's, "He's watching you… Just you…" he said quietly.

Tifa flushed some; she hoped the fire covered the coloration of her face. She also tried to calm her stomach down. It felt tight, as if it was knotting itself doing flips. "I… well… He is most likely making sure I am alright. After all I seem to be accident prone as of late." Tifa stirred the soup more adding the seasoning.

"Teef… you know how you look to men. Damn woman you jes be careful alwright?" Barrett sighed some.

Tifa smiled at her friend, he acted like she was his daughter. Having lost her father figure it was nice that Barrett was there watching her.

Barrett smiled back and watched as Tifa finished up the soup. She set aside two bowls for Cloud and Aeris, and poured the others before getting up and stepping away. Red jumped over Cait to get to what appeared to be the dish with the most meat in it. Cid had an arm around Vincent, clearly drunk and bothering the dark haired man. However Vincent seemed to tolerate Cid more than Tifa imagined.

The fighter decided to walk along the shore, she stopped at the edge of the beach where the sand met up with the grass and took off her boots and socks. She allowed her feet to sink into the cool sand. With a smile of relaxation on her face she slowly sauntered her way along the water. Occasionally picking up shells, she listened to the waves pushing and pulling their way onto the sand. There was not a care in the world at the moment, she let go the thoughts of Sephiroth, of Reno, and her dreams.

A new noise took a hold of her ears suddenly; she could hear what sounded like groans. Looking back to the wooded area of Wutai she couldn't help but approach the noise. The sounds became faster paced; her eyes widened as she spotted intertwined legs.

'C-Cloud and Aeris!' Tifa was frozen. She had to leave… but her legs just wouldn't let her. She could hear Aeris moan Clouds name as he continued to thrust into her. The slapping of skin on skin told Tifa that he was close, she needed to leave, how could she just stand there listening to this?

Finally finding the strength she turned and headed back down to the shore to clear her thoughts. She felt something wet on her cheek. Raising a hand to touch her face she found that she was crying.

"Why…" She questioned herself, "I am not supposed to… I knew that he and she… I accepted that I..." She shook her head falling to her knees. Her mind was plagued with the sound, with imagining those two being close, making love. The more she tried to stray her thoughts the more she desired herself to have Cloud between her legs. To have him whispering her name as they made love.

"It's very unbecoming of you to be spying."

Tifa turned to the deep voice, she didn't need to see however to know it was Vincent. She reddened in the face; did he see what she was doing? "You don't know what you're talking about." Tifa tried to defend herself. It wasn't like she wanted to see that.

"I know perfectly well of what I am talking about." Vincent slowly approached with a purr to his voice.

Tifa immediately felt uncomfortable…"Vincent…" Tifa got up with a glare on her face, "Drop it… I ran into them by accident." Something was off about Vincent. Sure he would follow her, but that was just to save her right? He wouldn't just come out and say these things to her.

Vincent was no more than an arm's length away. She could feel this devious glance down at her, like he was looking into her soul. She moved to walk around him however he blocked her way. She tried again, and once more he stepped in front, not allowing her to pass.

"Vincent… I am warning you. Let me through." She clenched her fist. If she needed to, she would bring him down.

"I don't think so precious." Vincent bent down to be eye level with Tifa. Her eyes widened at his wicked grin and his vibrant red eyes that had dancing yellow just outside of his pupil….. Wait…

Tifa immediately had begun her attack. She swung her fist fast trying to land a hit on 'Vincent' however he was too quick. He dodged every blow easily as if she was moving slowly.

She let out a grunt as she grabbed his hair and pulled her knee up to his face. He however spun around; his hair was loose in her grip, slipping through like silk. He used his claw to scratch at her thigh. She winced in pain however continued to try and land a hit. Whoever this was, was fast just like Vincent. However he would never ever say such things to her. He would never assume again after their talk back in Wutai. Just why was he being like this now? Why we he hurting her? Tifa cast a quick cure, the marks on her leg fading. Vincent struck out with his claw, trying to slash at Tifa. Tifa was now thankful her shoes were off. She slid in the sand and ducked nimbly. Such bulky shoes would have slowed her down. Her eyes widened some at the environment around them… sand!

She knew it was a dirty trick, however she had to save herself. She knelt low dodging a claw swipe at her chest, small pieces of her hair fell out from her tie. Picking up a couple of handfuls of sand Tifa threw it at Vincent's face.

He groaned stepping back trying to wipe his face. Tifa took this opportunity to jump, swinging her leg around she managed a kick right at his head. Vincent was knocked into the ocean, his body flying quite a distance before landing into the cold water.

Tifa slowly backed away to the direction of the group, her fist ready to defend or strike if he decided to come out. She hoped she was able to knock him out, however her stomach fell. Slowly Vincent came out of the water, his bandana gone. She nearly gasped as he removed his cloak flinging it to shore. Gaia was he handsome… stop! Tifa shook the thoughts from her head and prepared a lightning strike, hopefully it would draw the camps attention to come and aid her. She halted the magic attack however when Vincent hunched over holding his stomach. He let out a yell arching his back, curling up falling back into the water.

Tifa took a few steps forward however stopped, remembering that he wasn't himself… or at least she hoped.

Vincent let out a groan, his skin darkening. His feet ripped through the boots and grew talons. His arms, chest, face, everything grew black fur. His face morphed into a snout and his hair shrieked white. His transformation complete he let out a roar.

Tifa's chest tightened, this was Galian Beast… She was dead! So dead! She wanted to turn and run. Call for Barrett, Cid, Red, anyone that could help her, but then she remember what happened when Reno ran. It chased her for fun… Vincent was still inside somewhere, even if she had to beat him back out she would do it.

"Vincent I know you are in there… Galian Beast… you won't scare me again!" Her fist raised, she was ready.

Galian Beast smirked and trudged through the water approaching Tifa. The fighter tried her best to not shake at the massive size of the wolf like monster.

"You show quite strength... precious. A lot more than the other." Galian beast knelt some to closer to Tifa's height. "You will be a fun toy for gentle Galian." He licked his lips.

Tifa held her ground, her teeth clenched.

Galian took a breath, Tifa's eyes widened… it was going to breath fire. She flipped back and ran knee deep into the water just as the flame breath was let out. Galian let out a low chuckle and chased after Tifa.

"Playing with me eh?" Tifa glared. She set her lighting2 into the defensive position and cast the magic at Galian. The beast jumped away, the spell missing however it struck the ocean water, shocking them both.

The monster jumped back in pain while Tifa shrugged off the tingle. Conductive water, oh how I love thee.

Galian roared moving to attempt to get back into the water, however Tifa yelled back, causing the beast to quirk an eyebrow.

"I will not be afraid of you, and you will not have me! I will die fighting before you can place your claws on me!" she spoke out.

Galian tilted his head some almost causing Tifa to smirk… She loved it when Red tilted his head like an innocent cat, however seeing this wolf like creature was like… She shook the image from her head. This was like a wolf… Vincent just needed to tame it.

"Vincent for the last time get control of yourself or you will be needed a Phoenix down!"

Galian chuckled some shaking his head. He lunged for Tifa, leaping over the water. Tifa shielded herself prepared to take on the monsters blow however she felt something smaller tackle her into a wave.

Tifa quickly regained herself from the brief confusion and breached the water gasping for air. She looked around and noticed Vincent back into his true form tying his bandana around his head while looking for his cloak.

Tifa moved her wet bangs from her face and pushed herself through the water closer to Vincent. "I know you are not him but damn it!" she punched Vincent in the chest. Surprisingly he felt some pain, Tifa's fist felt a lot more, "Damn you Galian! If you ever come out again I swear to you I will put you down!" She yelled into his chest.

Tifa could hear a small chuckle. Looking up at Vincent's face she felt her jaw drop some. Vincent stood before her, completely soaked from head to toe, and he was smiling at her. Those eyes full of their blood red color.

He quickly regained himself placing his stoic mask back on. "I apologize for my behavior… I didn't mean to harm you."

Tifa shivered holding herself some and turned to move out of the cold water. Vincent however embraced her from behind, his claw felt warm against her cold skin, his body, was hot.

"I never meant for Galian to get out of control… He feeds off of fear, and you being the only one in our group to see him… he knows you fear him. I am truly sorry Tifa…"

Tifa's eyes softened while he embraced her. "So it will always be after me?"

Vincent remained silent, most likely he didn't know how to answer that question.

"Well… I suppose I just have to be stronger then." She smiled moving out of the embrace and towards shore. Tifa turned as she reached the beach. Placing one hand on her hips she pointed to the dark haired man.

"You owe me Vincent…"

The tall man was following her out, however stopped right as she pointed to him. "Pardon?"

"You heard me, you owe me Vincent. This was going to be a relaxing night… no fights, no chasing thieves, just walking the beach and watching the sunset, having a quiet night at the fire."

Vincent looked confused, "I apologized, I am unsure of what more I can do."

Tifa folded her arms over her chest. She didn't realize how cold she was. White tank tops and water do not mix. "Think of something… I demand some relaxation time the next time we are blessed with a break." Tifa turned on her heel. Moving up the sandy beach she gathered her shoes and socks and made her way back to camp. She stopped short of being within visual of camp and turned around to call to Vincent, however she was started when she caught Cloud and Aeris approaching.

She tried her best to remain calm as Cloud noticed her.

"Hey Teef, what are you doing way out here?" Cloud sounded a bit nervous. Aeris too played with her hair nervously. "And… why are you soaked?"

Tifa looked down at herself and let out a small laugh, "Oh… well I was… the beach, but… well..." She tried to think, she couldn't tell Cloud that Vincent had this monster inside him.

"I threw her in…" Vincent's voice spoke out.

Cloud and Aeris both turned around wide eyed surprised.

He still had his cloak off. He held onto it with his claw, and handed it to Tifa.

Tifa couldn't say anything. She clung to the warm material; she was colder than she thought.

Aeris smiled to Tifa and Vincent, "Oh? You two were having fun at the beach?"

Vincent and Tifa remained quiet… She still found herself frozen, just what should she say, what can she add to that.

"Well…" Vincent's deep velvety voice brought Tifa back from her thoughts, "She started it."

Vincent turned to continue walking. Cloud shrugged with a smirk on his face and headed off knowing that it was time for some girl chat.

Tifa felt her arm get pulled by Aeris. "Wow Tifa… so how did this happen?" the girl in pink grinned.

"I… well…" Tifa thought of a quick story, "I was just walking along the beach when he joined me… he was being all dark and that kind of stuff… so I splashed him." Tifa smiled pitching the story in her mind. "He threatened me that he would throw me in… and surprisingly he did. So now here I am soaked and embarrassed…"

Aeris giggled, "Just what did he do for you to splash him?"

Tifa shook her head some and smiled softly, "Well he was being a pain in the neck. Always coming to defend me yet never just sitting with me and having a good conversation or getting to know one another."

"if he threw you in, then how did he get just as wet?" Aeris asked.

"Well… I sort of.. um… pretended to drown." Tifa blushed at the thought of her lie. She was a good swimmer. Aeris saw that in Costa del Sol. "I guess I am lucky Vincent doesn't know that I am a good swimmer."

Aeris giggled some more, "That must have been such a site. And to see Vincent without that dreaded cloak. He really is handsome."

Tifa looked at the cloak in her hands, then to Vincent's strong back. She smiled wrapping the material around her shoulders to keep herself warm.

"I guess I was a bit worried for you… I knew you had feelings for Cloud still and I…. well I am glad that Vincent seems to really like you.. perhaps you like him?"

Tifa looked to the woman in pink, the cloak covering most of her face just like Vincent's. She let out a small blush and nodded some. "Despite what everyone thinks he is… or sees him for… He is special to me. He is kind, and… he makes me feel happy. Which means a lot right now you know?"

Aeris's eyebrow rose. She thought some however shook her head raising her hands with a shrug. "I don't think I see what you mean… but as long as you see it, then that is all that matters."

Tifa nodded with a smile bringing the cloak closer to her. She closed her eyes enjoying his scent… imagining that his arms were wrapped around her.

Tifa stepped off the trolley into Gold Saucer. She had to remember not to get too excited about being in this fun land, after all they were on an important mission to get the keystone. Tifa couldn't help but glance over at Vincent. He stood eyes wide at the site of the place. With a giggle Tifa walked next to her good friends Yuffie and Aeris. They bought their tickets and made their way to the battle arena.

"It's over here!" Yuffie waved everyone over after skipping ahead.

Cloud ran up next to Yuffie. She proudly showed him the display case like a puppy bringing a stick to its master. Tifa giggled and decided to glance around the room. Dio, the owner of Gold Saucer certainly enjoyed collecting expensive items.

"It's the keystone…"

"Long time no see my boy." A deep voice spoke out. Tifa jumped back startled by the large man. He was clad in nothing but a gold Speedo. His muscles were taught and defined. "You like that huh?" he moved over next to Cloud looking at the Keystone.

"Can you let me borrow this?" Cloud asked.

"Sorry." Dio let out a laugh, "But it isnt for rent. Hmm…" he grinned looking over Clouds group. "Since you've been good to me in the past, I Can let you have it on one condition."

Cloud folded his arms slightly confused. "One condition?"

"Entertain me!" Dio flexed.

"What do you want me to do?" Cloud asked.

"It's not something that really difficult… you and two others will show me your fighting skills in the battle arena. I am expecting a good fight. Choose two of your teammates and enter."

Dio walked out of the room. Cloud glanced over his group thinking, "Well I doubt that it would be dangerous… so lets just have some fun with this. I choose to battle alongside me… Vincent and Cid. I don't think I have battled alongside either of you very much."

"Well #%^$ kid we just met" Cid grinned however soon scowled nursing a bit of a hangover.

"If that is what you want." Vincent nodded.

"Good luck Cloud." Aeris handed him a healing materia along with a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey Tif, how about one here for ol' Cid here?" Cid leaned over pointing to his cheek.

Tifa shook her head with a giggle, "Sorry Cid, your luck is in Rocket town praying for your safety."

"Aw shucks." Cid pretended to pout before following Cloud out.

Vincent strode out soon after.

"Let's get some seats." Barrett motioned the group to follow.

"I'm going to get me a new Mog really quick. I will meet you over at the entrance." Cait hopped off of Red's back soon dashing off.

Tifa took a seat next to Barrett and Yuffie. They had some nosebleed seats, the stadium was packed. The crowd was yelling and cheering as they watched Cloud, Vincent and Cid fight.

"So jes what has been going on with you two..." Barrett suddenly spoke out.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Tifa asked, she fully knew what Barrett meant however.

"With you and coffin dweller over there." Barrett glanced over at Tifa, "He shows up without that creepy cloak on him, and trailing behind I see you wearing it."

"Nothing is going on Barrett… We are just friends." Tifa smiled. It was true, however she wouldn't go into details about Galian. "I was tossed into the ocean, we were just having fun, and he let me wear it to stay warm. That's all."

"Well… I am jes looking out for you Teef… I don't want you hurt is all." He smirked some.

"Come on Barrett, I am a big girl after all. I can handle myself." Tifa winked some.

"Aw I know… but you aren't interested in him are you?"

Tifa looked back down to the gunman. It looked like he was using an antidote on Cid, "Well… I don't think so. No. I think we are just friends."

"Tifa the man was frozen forever… it jes doesn't seem right." Barrett shook his head.

"He is 27, that's not old." Tifa stuck her tongue out, and I appreciate the concern Barrett." She smiled looking back to him.

"Alwright Tifa… jes be careful. That Cid ain't too better either. Man I can only imagine when Marlene gets older… I'm gonna have ta-"

Screams suddenly filled the stadium.

Tifa looked back down to find her view of the ring blocked, people were scattering everywhere for an exit.

"Look out!" Red pounced on Tifa. She fell to the floor just as a fireball flew past her.

"What? What's going on?" Tifa got up as soon as Red moved. Tifa looked down to the arena which was finally cleared. Cid was solid stone and Cloud was trying to find a Soft. She couldn't find Vincent, instead she saw Galian Beast.

The large wolf like monster tore apart the stadium throwing it to these large dragon-like creatures.

"What the %^&$ is that!" Barrett cursed.

"Is that… is that Vincent?" Aeris questioned.

"Amazing power." Red added.

"Galian…" Tifa whispered.

"What was that?" Yuffie asked Tifa.

Tifa shook her head; she made sure her gloves were ready in case she needed to attack.

Cid was unfrozen from his statue like state, he started to attack alongside Galian. Cloud readied to cast cure.

"I don't like this at all…" Barrett's gun warmed up some.

"Don't interfere." Dio approached.

"You see that monster? Its tearing up your stadium!" Barrett pointed to Galian.

"A little damage won't hurt. This is a fight I have been waiting for!" He smirked.

Galian growled as it jumped onto a monster's back. It tore at its neck with its teeth causing blood to bubble and spill. Cloud and Cid attacked the other. Cid leapt high into the air coming down on the head of the dragon. Its spear ran through its mouth pinning it shut. It managed to glare at Cid, causing his arm to freeze into a stone-like state.

"#%&^ not again!" He cursed.

Cloud ran up piercing the monsters chest with his sword. With a grunt pulled the weapon up cutting the beast into two.

The two dragons wailed in pain soon vanishing from the arena. Tifa worried for Vincent's control over Galian, however it was soon gone. With the last of the monsters defeated, Vincent reverted to himself.

After giving Cid another soft, Cloud moved over to Vincent, his hands on his hips. Tifa couldn't hear what he was saying.

Dio let out several loud claps along with a mighty laugh. "Well done! I haven't seen a battle like that in a long while!" he left the arena to meet with the champions outside.

Tifa looked to the others, their faces still held concern, however Cloud and Cid looked more impressed than frightened.

Outside, Tifa found Dio shaking hands with the three of them. "You did pretty well in their young man!" Dio shook Clouds hand last. "It is a promise… you can take this." He gave him the keystone.

Cloud smiled and shook Dio's hand once more, "Thanks"

Dio nodded, "Also take this… you and your friends are welcome back here anytime!" he handed Cloud a gold ticket, a lifetime pass into Gold Saucer.

Cloud grinned widely showing the treasures to the group. "Hey.. where's Cait?"

"He said he was going to get another Mog to ride on, he will meet back up with us." Aeris smiled taking Clouds hand.

Cloud nodded, "Right, we should be off."

Tifa walked with Yuffie, looking back she noticed Barrett, Red and Cid were talking to Vincent. He didn't look too enthused however answered their questions without disclosing much information about his past.

They entered the tube to go to the entrance of Gold Saucer and found several mechanics working on the cables of the trolley. One jumped off to talk with Cloud's group.

"I'm sorry, the Tram is out of order right now."

"So?" Cloud wanted some more information.

"I am really sorry… but I am afraid you won't be able to leave until it is fully repaired."

Clouds sighed some scratching his head.

"Hey Cloud! What's wrong?" Cait waved to the group as his Mog bounced its way over.

"The tram is out it looks like we are stuck here." He shrugged.

"Oh wow… that's too bad… It happens though." Cait shrugged with Cloud, "Nya! I know! Let's stay at the hotel!"

Tifa perked, hotel meant running water, and running water meant hot showers.

"They know me here! So I will go talk to them in letting us stay for free." Cait grinned widely.

Cloud turned back to the mechanic, he smiled apologetically, "I will let you know as soon as the repairs are finished."

Cloud nodded and then nodded to Cait, "Well alright… Might as well."

Cait bounced over to the Ghost hotel and jumped through the tube. Tifa followed behind Yuffie and landed at the creepy place where she met Reno not too long ago. Moving inside Cait jumped over to make the reservation. Cid took a seat near the grand staircase, and Vincent leaned on the wall next to him. Cait sat next to Cloud and Aeris who were seated on a loveseat by the entrance. Everyone else stood forming a circle.

Cait bounded over and curled at Yuffie's feet, "You know… we don't get the chance to be together like this… Cloud how about it. Can you tell us what's happened so far? I don't really know what's going on because I wasn't here in the beginning."

"Yeah! I'm all for it!" Cid took out a flask nabbing a quick drink

Vincent nodded, "Good idea.

"Man I've been here since the beginnin', an' I still don't know what the hell's goin' on either."

Cloud removed his arm around Aeris shoulder to stand and talk to the group more properly, "Alright… We are going after Sephiroth. Sephiroth must be in search of the promised land. The promised land is full of Mako energy. Or at least that's what the Shinra believe. I don't know if it does actually exist."

"The Cetra return to the Promised Land. A land that promises boundless happiness." Aeris added.

"Cetra? That some kinda disease?" Barrett asked.

Tifa face-palmed, he was explained several times… one more… one more time and it should get through that thick skull.

"That's what the Ancients call themselves. Didn't you listen to the elders at Cosmo Canyon?" Aeris looked tired from explaining it to the gun-armed man so many times.

Barrett scratched his head with a puzzled look on his face.

"You don't "Know" where the promised land of the Ancients is… you search and travel, until you feel it. Like you just know, 'this is the promised land". Aeris looked off, as if deep in thought.

"Aeris, can you feel it too?" Cloud asked.

"I think so." She smiled to Cloud.

"So Sephiroth is traveling the world because he's searching for the promised land." Tifa wanted the story to continue.

"Yes, that and the Black Materia" Aeris nodded.

"I heard from Dio that a man in a black cape was looking for the black materia." Cait stretched some.

"I don't even know what the black cape is… There were so many, each had a tattoo." Tifa remembered seeing the caped man in her hometown.

"You know… my tattoo number is 13.." Red spoke out.

"How did you get that tattoo?" Cloud asked.

"Hojo put it on me… everything else is just war scars, but the number was done by Hojo."

"So there are at least 13?" Tifa asked.

Red shook his head not knowing.

"… you know… I think Hojo did something to those men in the Black Capes. But I don't know what it has to do with Sephiroth though… That's why I think we should just go after Sephiroth himself." Aeris thought.

"Yeah, me too!" Barrett jumped up, "It's all just too damn confusin'"

"And…" Aeris bit her bottom lip in thought. She shook her head and got up making her way to the stairs, "No… I'm sorry, please forget it. I think I'm tired, I am just going to go to bed." She ran up the stairs to her room.

"What was that all of a sudden?" Cait questioned.

"Well if that's it I'm going to bed too" Yuffie huffed going upstairs.

"Is that really all? How 'bout the black materia?" Cait jumped onto his Mog.

"You wouldn't understand even if I told you." Cloud sighed.

"Now all we gotta do is take action!" Barrett hyped himself up, "We're startin' tomorrow!" he runs up the stairs.

"Cloud…" Red spoke out softly, "I'm number 13… Am I going to go mad too?"

"I don't know what Hojo did to you, but you've been alright so far right?" Tifa approached tussling Red's mane.

"But.." Red doubted himself and Tifa.

"Be strong." Tifa forced a smile on her face. His doubts made her doubt herself… what would happen if Red turned on them all.. what would happen if she had to fight her friend, and he wouldn't come back like Vincent could.

"But i-" Red started again.

"Stop it Nanaki!" Tifa spoke out perhaps a bit too loud, "Be strong!"

"Tifa?" Cloud approached the two of them.

"You're not the only one who is worried... Just… stay strong." Tifa ran up the stairs to her room. She entered leaning against the closed door. Tifa pulled her hair some frustrated that Red would think that... .but perhaps he could only think of that. It was about him after all… He didn't know if his mind would be lost and if he would attack his friends. It was impossible though right? Hojo wouldn't do such a thing to Red… the lion creature was far too kind. But then again when did Hojo ever care about others. Tifa rested her head against her bent knees. She sat there for some time before moving to the bed to rest

She laid down when a knock came to her door. Sitting up confused she called out for the person to enter. "Come in."

Vincent strode inside the room. Staying close to the entrance he nodded a hello to the fighter. "I believe now is a appropriate time for me to pay my due to you."


	20. Gold Saucer and Nightmares

Another wonderful weekend has come and gone, I hope everyone has had an easy week. And I greatly apologize for this chapter being late. I had accidently left half of the story at my place of work and couldn't get inside of the building until today. I really hope that you enjoy it, I went ahead and added a few more things, and hopefully they will make up for the wait.

To my reviewer's

**Alesana4ever**: Thank you so much for your kind words and I apologize again that you had trouble reviewing to my story. However I really appreciate you messaging me and letting me know how you feel.

**Varna:** I thank you for taking interest in my stories. ^^ I do try to keep my readers on the edge of their seats. I hope you like it, and I must apologize, however 'Not My Imagination' is a one-shot enabling readers to imagine their own fantasy ^^.

**Numinous-Alqua:** You and Alesana4ever have been wonderful devoted reviewers. Thank you for your time. I will do my best in ensuring this chapter meets your expectations, after all I had you wait another week before the gold saucer scene. ^^

A brief reminder that this story is rated M and younger readers should take caution of suggested themes. Please skip such parts if you are easily offended.

Thank you all for your time in reading this story and I hope you enjoy.

Miss Ti

Tifa sat up on her bed staring at the caped man. Did he really just offer to take Tifa out? "W-what? You mean you…"

"Do you not think this is suitable off time for me to repay you?" Vincent quirked a brow.

"No that is not it… what I mean is… you are really going to take me seriously? You didn't have to keep such a silly promise." Tifa scoffed at herself.

"I see no reason not to… I have attacked you, while you were in relaxation." Vincent's eyes shifted from her to the rooms' floor.

Tifa nearly face-palmed herself; she had only walked in on Cloud and Aeris's intimate moment and fantasized about being in the woman's in pinks place. She flushed hoping that only Galian saw her and not Vincent… but then again she didn't know what went on in that head of his.

"I don't think I… well... ah..." Tifa moved to get up and smiled, "Sure, it sounds great..."

"From what Cloud had told me that tonight is enchantment night. I have yet to be or even see a place like this before, so it is whatever you desire to see." Vincent shifted to open the door.

Tifa smile and let a small laugh to her tall, dark, handsome friend. She moved and left the room turning to make sure Vincent was indeed following her. They made their way to the ghost hotel pipeline and Tifa glanced from one to another deciding where to go first.

Tifa glanced around and soon spotted the Speed Square. She turned to Vincent and pointed to the pipe with a large smile on her face. He let out a small chuckle before following. Tifa stared wide eyed at the rollercoaster ride. She let out a squeal of excitement before moving to get some tickets.

Vincent moved onto the ride and Tifa sat next to him. "Oh wow this is so fun!" She giggled looking to her companion. He gave her a nod and they both lowered the lap bar. "This is my first time on this kind of thing, but I've seen them on the video before… will this be your first?"

Vincent nodded again, he seemed to be unsure of this rides purpose. It shot from the entry house up a steep climb. Tifa glanced over to Vincent, questioning his reaction. She was surprised to see him so calm. The rollercoaster continued to climb; Tifa had begun to feel her stomach twist into knots anxious at the drop that would soon come. The coaster reached its peak, and they had begun their fall. Tifa shrieked loudly as her stomach lifted. The free fall feeling overcoming her causing her to clutch to Vincent.

Tifa shut her eyes quickly; her voice had left her midway down the first fall, for a whole minute she prayed the ride would be over. It wasn't until she felt the ride stop that she opened her eyes. She looked up to Vincent whom held a very amused look to his face.

"That was quiet a fun ride… It is too bad you didn't seem to enjoy it." Vincent got up as the lap bar rose.

"What? I enjoyed it are you kidding?" Tifa forced a smile getting up on wobbly legs. She hoped to Gaia that she wasn't pale from the ride.

Vincent stopped looking into a small kiosk, and let out a small laugh. Tifa moved to glance at what he was looking at and nearly fell over from embarrassment. Apparently this ride had taken pictures of each car that was on the ride. Tifa sighed as she saw their picture. Vincent sat seemingly amused at the ride while Tifa held onto him eyes clamped shut.

"So you enjoyed it?" Vincent glanced over at Tifa, a smirk in his eyes.

"Ha… ha…" Tifa forced a grin on her face.

"Perhaps it is best that I choose the next entertainment." Vincent handed some Gil to the kiosk worker, whom promptly gave him two photos.

"You didn't really buy those did you?" Tifa flushed.

"Here…" he handed Tifa one of the pictures.

Tifa took the embarrassing picture and smirked at it, ""Well I guess you have some blackmail on me now. I am sure Cid would never let this go if he ever saw this picture."

Vincent didn't say anything in return; instead he continued to move off to one of the many pipes that each held a different site of entertainment.

Tifa followed and moved to the many pipes leading to the different areas. She saw Vincent jump down into the pipe leading to the wonder square. Tifa took one more glance at the photo in her hands and smiled. Placing the item in her pocket she jumped in.

Vincent offered his hand to Tifa as they walked through the park like setting. Tifa couldn't help but shudder at the memories that were held here with her and Reno. She reminded herself that she was here with Vincent.

The ex-Turk walked up to a food Kiosk; Tifa was unable to see what he had gotten them until he turned and moved back. Tifa let out a laugh as Vincent returned with ice cream.

"Vincent, I never knew you were one for sweets." Tifa took one of the chocolate cones.

Vincent sat at a nearby bench and loosened the fastenings of his cloak, letting it slip off his shoulders and onto the bench's back rest. Tifa watched him as he begun to lick at the ice cream. Tifa couldn't help but let her lips part in awe; everything Vincent did was just stunning, from fighting, to eating ice cream.

Vincent's eyes looked up from his treat to Tifa, "You should really eat that before it melts…"

Tifa shook herself from her stunned state and looked down at her hand. Her frozen treat had indeed begun to melt. She quickly had begun to lick the mess up from her fingers and her cone taking a seat next to Vincent. Once she was sure she could eat easier, she took in her surroundings; the park was gently lit up. A fountain placed in the middle of the wonder square flowed smoothly; different colored lights glowed, changing the water's blue flow into an assortment of colors. Flowers gently rocked from side to side as a warm breeze whispered through the park. Tifa smiled gently, "Thank you Vincent… I couldn't ask for a better moment of R&R."

Vincent quirked an eyebrow to her, "Are you tired? The night is yet to be at an end."

Tifa giggled shaking her head, "No! No, I am just, well I am just so happy right now… With chasing Sephiroth, we rarely have time to rest. I am really enjoying this moment."

"We have quite a journey ahead of us…" Vincent agreed

Tifa nodded taking a bite into her cone.

Vincent tossed an empty cone into the trash; Tifa wiped her mouth clean and got up stretching. "So where to next?"

Vincent finished fastening his cloak back on and looked to a decorative clock. "Hm… this way." Vincent entered the Round square pipe.

Tifa jumped in and popped out in awe. Before her was a gondola ride. Tifa blushed as she walked next to Vincent; this ride was more for couples. But then again in everyone's eyes they might have been a couple. Perhaps Vincent didn't know the hidden meaning behind this ride…then again what if he did.

Tifa noticed Cloud and Aeris on one of the carts beginning to take off. Tifa could see the two seated next to each other embracing.

"Tifa?" Vincent brought her out of her thoughts.

Tifa smiled to Vincent moving to stand in line. When it was their time to board, Vincent held out his hand to help Tifa get in. She seated in the direction of the cart's motion, and Vincent to the opposite.

Tifa felt as if butterflies were in her stomach. She looked out to the side just as Chocobo ran past, so fast that they looked like they were flying. Tifa giggled leaning closer to the window to observe. She knew that there were Chocobo races; after all Cloud had to enter one to get them out of the desert prison; but seeing one this close was truly spectacular.

Tifa looked to Vincent to find him watching her. A blush grew from her cheeks. She couldn't help but think of their moment at the Wutai beach. "Ah… Vincent, back at Wutai… you said you lost control of Galian…"

Vincent's brows furrowed some, "Indeed…"

"How does that work? The transformation between you and Galian."

"Well…Galian is a monster I am able to tap into…however it is its own being. I must be both physically and mentally strong to contain it." Vincent explained.

"So that is why back in the battle arena you were able to control it so well… It won't want to go after the others? Will it?"

Vincent shook his head, "Galian… it fancies you."

Tifa rolled her eyes some with a tired laugh, "Lucky me."

Vincent chuckled some before turning to watch the rollercoaster whiz by.

"Seeing how is after me, is there anything I should be worried about? Or are there any weaknesses?" Tifa crossed her legs sitting on the edge of her seat.

"Well… Galian uses fire based attacks. I would stay around water, or use water attacks… Never run away from Galian, and no matter what, never believes what it says… It will lie, deceive, and bribe to get what it desires."

Tifa nodded looking out to see that they were close to reaching the top. "Vincent... Could you tell me more about Lucrecia?"

Vincent tensed at the question, his eyes grew soft and he let out a sigh, "She was a very beautiful woman... She had long chestnut brown hair and chocolate brown eyes…" Vincent glanced up to Tifa.

Tifa swallowed lightly, her eyes were a deep brown just like Lucrecia's… he was remembering his lost love every time he looked into her eyes.

"She was a very kind and caring person…" Vincent continued, "In my eyes we were steady… until the moment I had found a file on my father… He had died while mentoring her. She blamed herself, and pleaded for forgiveness, however I never thought she could be the reason… she never seemed to recover after I had found the files… She ran to Hojo."

Tifa's eyes watered, she could only imagine the pain Vincent must have felt, to have the one you love run to another. Lucrecia must have been a woman who held much guilt... Tifa's eyes soon went wide, she strongly related to the woman… She held secrets she couldn't bear to tell Cloud…what would happen if she had to confess the secrets to him, would he be like Vincent and forgive, or would he hate her for it.

"I am sorry Vincent." Tifa reached to take his un-clawed hand into her own. "Vincent… you never deserved any of this… I hope we find Hojo… and I hope you can get your revenge."

Vincent smirked and leaned forward, his thumb brushed over Tifa's knuckles as he lowered the cloak with his clawed hand. He gently pressed a kiss on Tifa's forehead.

Tifa's eyes closed at the action, she absorbed the friendly gesture more that she should have. The kiss was warm despite his lips being cool.

Fireworks popped in the distance, Tifa opened her eyes to see Vincent seated back watching them.

"Vincent…" Tifa whisper getting the pale man's attention. As soon as his eyes were on hers she couldn't help but blush. Her stomach tightened and her core was warm. Her chest felt tight; she couldn't breathe. Never before had she felt such emotions in her. His eyes softened some, he offered his hand to her and she slowly took it. Vincent pulled Tifa up and over to him. She straddled his lap as he slid off his bandana and slipped it over her eyes.

Tifa shuddered out a breath at the action, and soon her lips were captured by his. Tifa moaned, it felt as if her body was on fire as he passionately caressed his lips over hers. His cool lips were sending sparks of electricity at each touch. Vincent's tongue soon slithered from mouth to gently lick and part Tifa's lips. She complied with a gasp, his mouth taking hers with an aggressive push. Her tongue danced with his; tasting like chocolate she couldn't help but reach to tangle her fingers in his hair. She felt him let out a growl, his hands grasping her hips pulling her closer to him. His clawed hand poked holes into her skirt and gently punctured her skin.

"Ah! Vincent." She broke the kiss and lifted the bandana from her eyes. Vincent leaned down and placed kisses and gentle nips at her neck.

Tifa wiggled her hips some; his claw was still hurting her. "V-Vincent you're hurting me." She let out a nervous giggle.

"Do you not enjoy it?" Vincent purred; he bit down onto Tifa's neck causing her to yelp in surprise and pain.

"Vincent!" Tifa pushed on his chest. She felt her skirt tear some as she slid off of his lap and onto the floor. Tifa looked to Vincent and saw the gentle glow of yellow in them. "I should have known… Galian!" She got up and got up onto the far seat of the gondola.

"Precious..." Galian purred offering his hand again to Tifa, "Do you not enjoy my touches."

"No" Tifa growled some, "How dare you come back out! I swear Vincent isn't out here by the time this ride is over."

"What would you swear?" Galian purred grabbing the loose fabric of Vincent's bandana off of the floor.

Tifa's heart beat fast, she was nervous and most likely he knew that too. She shifted to the other seat as Galian moved to get her. "Galian I swear I will put you down before you even touch me."

"Really? We both knew you liked it… after all I can smell it on you."

Tifa flushed red and moved to attack Galian, in this small space she thought she would have the advantage; however that was not the case. Galian moved quickly and grabbed her wrist, quickly spinning her around and binding the both of them together behind her.

"Gah! Galian! Let me go! You wouldn't dare!" she struggled, pulling at the red fabric. She was pulled down onto Galian's lap; he smelt her hair and sighed into her ear gently placing a nip on it.

"Precious, you must learn to behave… after all; the ride is almost over… you wouldn't want your friends to know how much of a monster Vincent is… now would you? They would exile Vincent from the group. You would never see him again." Galian smirked.

Tifa groaned, "Untie me… it will look suspicious if you don't." Tifa bit her lip some.

Galian complied however still held onto Tifa.

The ride soon stopped and Tifa got out first quickly making her way to the ghost hotel, she stopped hearing Cloud and Aeris call out for her.

"Hey Teef!" Cloud and Aeris waved her over.

'Cloud… not now... the sooner I get away… no... Vincent said I shouldn't run... but I can't let them see Vincent's eyes.' Tifa put on her best fake smile and watched as the couple made their way to her.

"Hey Tifa, what you doing out? You seemed upset earlier."

"Is everything alright?" Aeris added.

"Ah... yes... I was just out getting some air-"

"Precious and I have been getting better acquainted." Galian in Vincent's form casually walked up wrapping an arm around Tifa's waist.

Tifa wanted to cringe; she needed to get moving fast.

"Precious?" Cloud quirked a brow. Aeris even looked confused.

"Oh stop puppy!" Tifa let out an obvious fake laugh. Tifa felt her backside become pinched. "Ah well Cloud don't you and Aeris have cute pet names?"

Cloud seemed to be quite agitated. "No… uh..." he looked over at Aeris.

Aeris narrowed her eyes on Vincent before looking to Cloud, "Let's go... we can talk later."

Tifa sighed in relief as the two of them left. "Great… now to come up with a good story when Vincent comes to…" her eyes watered some, was it just her, or did Cloud seem angry…

Galian let out a low chuckle before grabbing Tifa's wrist and dragging her along. Finding an empty alley she was lifted and held against the wall.

"Galian… no" Tifa tried to fight him.

"Hush precious, I promise I won't bite much." He growled moving himself between her legs. He held each one of her wrists in her hand.

Tifa wrapped her legs around Galian's waist and squeezed hard. Galian let out a groan and growled when a snap sounded.

Tifa glared at Galian as he removed a hand from holding her wrists and grabbed her neck squeezing it.

Tifa gasped for breath, using her free hand to hammer fist Galian's shoulder over and over.

Galian let out a hiss moving in to lick at Tifa's neck. He moved to hold her jaw, forcing her to look up.

"S-stop it!" She continued to fight.

Tifa heard a tearing sound; her chest was soon exposed to the night air.

"Vincent, help me." Tifa started to sob.

She felt Galian's warm tongue lap over her chest.

"Vincent!" Tifa yelled her voice becoming hoarse.

Tifa was soon dropped. Looking up she saw a mortified blood red eyes looking back at her. "T-Tifa…." Vincent fell back against the ally's opposite wall.

Tifa wiped her face of the tears that fell and got up doing her best to hold her shirt together. "Vincent…" She tried to smile.

Vincent shook his head, grabbing his hair he looked ready to break. This man that did his best to hide himself of emotion was cracking before her. "Tifa… I..."

Tifa moved closer to Vincent to try to sooth him, however he jumped back, "No Tifa… no…"

Tifa fell to her knees looking down. "Vincent... I take it whenever Galian takes over... you can still comprehend everything that goes on."

Vincent let out a small nod. "It is daunting… he whispers to me often that he will take you from me, that you would prefer him to me."

Tifa shook her head, "Vincent… I would never." Tifa moved to embrace Vincent, this time he allowed the contact, and he fell to his knees embracing her in return. "Vincent…" She gently brushed his hair with her fingers. She didn't know what to tell him to make him feel better. "Vincent…" She looked to his red eyes.

He glanced down to her, his eyes filled with much sorrow.

She let s smile grace her lips despite the events that happened not but 5 minutes ago. "Vincent… it wasn't your fault. `

Vincent moved to get up, "Tifa… I can't promise you that this won't happen again… Its control over me is getting worse with every passing moment. He won't stop."

Tifa did her best tying her shirt so it would hide her chest. She thought of a crazy idea… it made her insides set on fire with a want, or rather need. "W-what if I give him what he wants?" she flushed at the thought, "or what if I give myself to you?"

Vincent looked away from Tifa, "No… he wouldn't stop… and I cannot take you Tifa."

"Right, it was a silly idea anyway." She smiled halfheartedly. She couldn't imagine having a relationship with Vincent like Cloud and Aeris have together.

Vincent approached and pulled Tifa up to her feet then into an embrace, "You are a remarkable woman Tifa… I do find myself attracted to you. You are smart, caring, strong, but with my instabilities, I cannot allow myself to be close to you. You have seen what Galian can do just at this distance. He is cruel and I won't forgive myself if he hurts you."

Tifa processed his words and smiled, "Ah-ha, so you do like me." She felt warm in his embrace, and even though monsters lurked inside of him, she felt safe. She needed to reassure him that he wasn't stuck with what he presently had… if he could apply his growing strength, and then perhaps Galian wouldn't have the want or need for control. "Vincent… You need to stay strong… perhaps Galian will know that we may perhaps be together after everything that is threatening the world comes to past. Galian right now is a part of you and you both must cooperate."

Vincent smiled with a nod, "We do fight often… perhaps it is now time to set aside the differences. I shall do my best to work at it… but in case he does take over… never feel that you have to give in to his demands… you mean much to me."

Tifa nodded and felt her chest swell with excitement. She had received her first confession, from Vincent of all people. She was glad he was opening up to her.

"Ah… what do we tell Cloud and Aeris? They suspected that something foul was going on."

Vincent removed his cloak and offered it to cover Tifa while he thought. "I must tell them what has been going on…"

Tifa huffed and frowned, She didn't want to tell Cloud yet about almost being taken by the beast called Galian. "Do you think they will let you continue to journey with us?"

Vincent looked to Tifa with a brow raised, "I would hope you would know that answer… after all he is your childhood friend. You would know him best."

Tifa nodded biting on her lip. "Yeah…. I don't think he would have a problem… maybe with just us being alone together from now on."

Vincent let out a small sigh before offering his hand for Tifa to take, "We should be getting back."

Tifa took the warm hand into her own and followed. Jumping into the station event pipe they noticed Cloud and Aeris with an upset look on their faces. Tifa tried her best to ensure her torn shirt could not be seen. "Cloud? Aeris? Is everything alright?" Tifa approached.

Cloud shook his head.

Aeris sighed, "We found out that there was a spy in our group…. Cait."

Tifa's eyes went side, "What? No that just couldn't be… what happened?"

"Cait took the keystone and gave it to the Turks…" Cloud spoke out running a hand through his spiky hair. "Apparently Cait is being controlled from afar by a Shinra worker."

"He took the keystone?" Vincent asked again just to be sure he heard correctly.

Cloud and Aeris both nodded.

"I should have kept a better eye on that..." Cloud sighed, "I can't believe this… and worst of all, he's got Marlene..."

Tifa nearly fell to her knees, "N-no… that bastard… Marlene." She couldn't imagine how Shinra managed to get their hands on the small girl… She couldn't even guess on how they found AVALANCHE's own Barrett's relation to her.

"We can't touch him… he told us that we will be going to the temple of the ancients… of course after the Turks have been there." Aeris moved to be held by Cloud.

The blonde looked to the both of them suspiciously, "You two seemed awfully friendly."

"Ah… Cloud." Tifa held the cloak closer to her. She was at a loss at what to tell them.

"Perhaps in a more private area… I have something I must tell you." Vincent signaled for the blond to follow. Aeris and Tifa followed soon after.

Vincent led them back to the wonder square. Tifa sighed; just moments ago she was here sharing ice cream with Vincent. Now there was a possibility that he may not be with the group for much longer. Where would Vincent go if he was not able to travel with the group? Tifa shook the thought from her head. Vincent was a powerful asset to the group. Cloud just wouldn't let that go.

The wonder square was empty; they stood in a circle far from anyone that may enter the pipes.

"Cloud, Aeris… as you are aware, I can transform into this…. Monster called Galian."

Cloud and Aeris both nodded, Cloud looked somewhat surprised when Vincent described himself as a monster.

"Galian isn't just a transformation… he is real. A living monster placed inside of my body. He occasionally has free reign of my own body." Vincent looked to Tifa, his red eyes vibrant in color, "Galian… fancies Tifa."

Cloud's fist clenched as Vincent spoke. His eyebrows drawn in as the words left Vincent's lips.

"At Wutai beach… and just moments ago… Galian had tried to take advantage of Tifa." Even though Vincent was ashamed of Galian being able to take control of him, he didn't show it. He stood tall, and kept eye contact with the group.

"You lied to us back at Wutai?" Aeris questioned the both of them, "Tifa… this is a dangerous situation. Why would you hide something like that from us?"

Tifa played with the fabric of Vincent's cloak. Looking down and feeling like she was being scolded by her mother she sighed, "I can handle Galian."

Cloud scoffed moving up to see what Tifa was hiding under the cloak. Her neck still had welts from where she had been bit, her shirt was starting to become untied, and her skirt had tears and some blood stains from when she had been gripped. Cloud covered Tifa back up and pulled her close. She was moved from standing beside Vincent, to being in between Aeris and her longtime friend.

"Vincent… I can't have you in our group if you are going to be like this…" Cloud let out a sigh shaking his head. He ran his fingers through his blonde locks deep in thought. "Is this monster controllable?" Clouds voice was firm. Tifa had never seen him this angry.

Vincent's eyes moved from Tifa's to Cloud's. "Yes… I believe I can control him."

"Tifa… I want you to not spend so much time around Vincent… Let him get a firm control of this monster. Do you understand?"

Tifa nearly rolled her eyes at Cloud; however he was just looking after her safety. "Cloud I don't think that is necessary. I can take care of myself."

"Tifa… Please just do this for me." Cloud pleaded.

Tifa folded her arms over one another with a small huff. "Alright." She couldn't say no to those mystical Mako blue eyes. Inside she still felt a small something for Cloud.

"Vincent… you will be in my sites from now on until you can ensure me you won't harm anyone. I know you are grown and shouldn't need to be watched over… but you do have the freedom to leave this quest, and not put up with any of this." Cloud stepped up to Vincent.

Vincent merely nodded, his face yielding any emotion. "I must tell you Cloud…"

Cloud was turned to Aeris and Tifa; turning back he raised a brow.

"Unless you find me otherwise unfit to stay in your group, I shall continue to travel with you and… everyone should take caution. Galian already doesn't like being told to stay away from Tifa… lastly; I believe another monster is stirring within me, waiting for the moment to come out."

Tifa's eyes widened some in shock, 'another monster?'

Cloud's jaw clenched shut, "Just keep yourself in check…" his words hissed from behind his teeth. He turned to Tifa and Aeris, "Why don't the both of you head back to the hotel… I will be there shortly."

Aeris nodded taking Tifa's arm and leading her to the ghost hotel pipe. Tifa glanced back to Vincent; however he was looking to Cloud. With a sigh she jumped in the Ghost pipe.

"Tifa… please tell me he didn't do anything to you." Aeris asked sincerely.

Tifa shook her head. "No… Nothing happened."

Aeris smiled softly, "Come sleep in my room tonight… Let me brush your hair." Aeris led.

Tifa sighed and followed slowly. She entered the pink clothed woman's room and was tossed a light pink tank. Tifa removed Vincent's cloak and her torn shirt and put on the article It was a bit tight, however comfortable.

"Sit..." Aeris offered Tifa to sit on the bed.

Tifa moved, sitting at where Aeris had pointed. Aeris removed the tie that held Tifa's hair and slowly begun to run her brush down the long strands. Tifa closed her eyes enjoying the feeling; however the feeling of anxiousness in her stomach wouldn't go away.

"You know Cloud is going to tell everyone… it's for your safety."

Tifa softly nodded.

"Tifa… do you love him?" Aeris stopped brushing.

Tifa thought about it for some time, did she love Vincent? Or was this a crush. Tifa shook her head, "I don't think so… I keep thinking I am in love, but… I am never quite sure."

Aeris continued to brush Tifa's hair. "Love is like… when you are around that special someone… you feel like a herd of Chocobo are running around in your stomach… You feel like you could fly… you would even give your life to save that someone."

Tifa thought about it more… did she feel those things for Vincent… Would she go as far as to die for him? No… not yet at least…

Tears had fallen from Tifa's eyes. She brought her hand up to discreetly wipe them away however her older friend noticed.

"Tifa I think you do feel something for him…"

"It's impossible… how could I- I mean, sure we are getting to know one another… but I would call it a friendship, not love."

"Friends with romantic benefits?" Aeris grinned.

Tifa sighed rolling her eyes at Aeris. "No not like that… If I do decide to become… romantic with someone I want to be absolutely sure that I am going through with it with someone I love. Vincent… he is very cautious… I don't know if that is because of Galian, but he had made it clear to me…. Aeris he didn't even want to be friends with me."

Aeris giggled. Tifa turned to look at the girl however came face to face with a pillow.

Tifa fell back with an 'oof'. Clutching the pillow that had hit her she looked to Aeris.

"You are thinking far too much. Let's just drop the subject for now and enjoy the evening… why don't you go and take a shower, I will gather your things from your room."

Tifa nodded and moved her way to the bathroom. She smiled at the clean tiled room and turned on the hot water. She turned to the mirror and nearly gasped at the stranger she saw. Her reflection was horrible. Her eyes had bags under them, her skin looked red from being under the sun, and her hair had lost some of its shine. She winced as she saw the 'love' bites left behind. Touching them she remembered the feelings she had. She was scared, petrified even… but if it was from Vincent and not Galian… would she feel the same way?

Tifa removed her barrowed shirt and skirt, and soon after her underwear. She gently touched the area where the gauntlet had pierced through her hip. Tifa moved to grab her cure materia and let the soft green glow wash over her. The marks were gone leaving the slightest of a pink scar mark. Tifa continued to stare at herself… contemplating if she made the best decision to go out with Vincent this night, if she should have told Cloud of the monster inside Vincent before their discovery…

"I just need to get stronger…" Tifa told her fogged image. She moved to step into the shower. Letting the hot water run down her body she moaned. The feeling felt wonderful… too long had she been without a decent shower. The water was just a bit too hot however she stayed, allowing it to turn her clothing covered un-burnt skin pink. With a smile on her lips she grabbed a complementary bottle of shampoo and lathered up her long lengths. Strawberries it smelled like… she enjoyed the sweet sent as it filled the bathroom.

A knock came to the door, Aeris had called out saying that she was entering. The woman in pink placed some clean clothes on the sink and also placed a warm towel on the rack. "Take as much time as you need Tifa." She spoke out.

"Thank you." She replied poking her head out from the shower curtains. Aeris smiled nodding and left closing the door gently. Tifa took a washcloth and begun to lather it with a cucumber scented soap.

Tifa washed her body and her neck, especially rubbing hard on the area Galian's mouth was on. The events of tonight continued to run through her mind. Would she have been able to put up more of a fight? Was offering herself to Vincent making her seem to desperate? What would happen if Galian were to come out and attack again? Chills made their way up her spine at the very thought of seeing Galian again, especially in its true form.

Deciding that she had taken a long enough shower she wrapped the fluffy towel around her and gently squeezed the excess water from her hair. She let out a sigh of relaxation and wiped the mirror clear of condensation so she could see her reflection. She looked better, much better.

Tifa exited the bathroom after getting dressed; Aeris promptly went in for her shower. The fighter sighed wondering which of the four beds in the room was going to be her, however a familiar picture placed carefully on a pillow of the far bed had let her know. Tifa grabbed the small photo and smiled some. She didn't remember removing it from her pocket; however seeing the emotionless face of Vincent compared to her frightened face had eased her thoughts. She placed it with her belongings before settling in for a comfortable night of rest.

Tifa's eyes opened, it was dark and the area felt damp… She immediately knew where she was... the Nibelheim reactor.

She once more repeated the actions that have played through her nightmares, she looked to her hands covered in the blood of her father... she swore revenge and grabbed the silver haired man's sword and ran into the chamber containing those deformed monsters… She ran up the stairs leading up to the container that held Jenova and readied to attack Sephiroth with his own weapon.

She cringed as those piercing Mako eyes glanced at her. No matter how much she tried to stop herself from approaching and trying to attack, she just couldn't; her body did not respond to anything.

The sword was ripped from her grasp and she was once more frozen in place. Sephiroth's eyes bore down on her, slowly moving along the length of her body.

"Why is this happening!? Wake up!" Tifa yelled to herself.

"One doesn't simply awake from nightmares." Sephiroth grinned. He raised his blade and masterly cut away at Tifa's cowgirl outfit. She screamed in protest, the cool air felt real against her skin.

Sephiroth immediately placed his cold lips against her neck. Biting and licking at her skin. His hands moved to her hips, squeezing hard.

Tifa groaned in pain, she tried to move away, however like the other times, she wouldn't be able to… she wouldn't be able to wake from this nightmare until it was over.

Her eyes shot open as he bit down on her neck. Tifa screamed more as she felt Sephiroth's fingers pierce the skin on her hip. She struggled to move away, the familiar feeling of the assault causing her heart to ache.

Sephiroth slowly licked his way up, his tongue lingering on Tifa's lips. His eyes slowly opened, revealing blood red eyes…

Tears immediately streamed down Tifa's. "No… no!" She cried out.

"Just give into it Tifa..." Vincent's voice came out of Sephiroth's mouth.

"Someone wake me up! Wake up!" Tifa screamed more.

Tifa felt herself being lifted by the swordsman; he placed her against Jenova's door and unfastened his pants.

"Stop! Wake up!" Tifa screamed over and over.

Sephiroth positioned himself at Tifa's entrance; he readied to thrust inside of her.

"No!" Tifa shrieked.

A blanket of cold wrapped around Tifa's body. She felt as if she had been dunked in ice water. The area around her in her dream went dark; she could hear the murmuring of many voices surround her. However she was completely and utterly alone. Tifa did her best to cover her naked body as she searched around for someplace to go.

"H-hello?" She called out. Tifa pinched her skin to try and wake herself up however it was to no avail. Tifa panicked some and ran off into a direction. The cold air continued to pulse, her body beginning to numb. The murmurs were now loud causing Tifa's hands to cover her ears. "Stop! Wake up!" She fell to her knees feeling dizzy. Her vision was blurred and her body nearly frozen. Tifa fell over collapsing in her dream as the cold burn intensified.

"Help me…" She wept.

Tifa immediately shot up embracing the closest being to her, absorbing their warmth. She cried out and looked to her savior to only see Vincent's red eyes. Against her will and still in shock of her dream, she screamed pushing him away, however the larger man sat statue like, only to have Tifa push herself off the bed.

Cloud looked perplexed at Vincent as Aeris moved to help with the fighter. "Tifa its ok… it was just a dream"

"No, they're not… Gaia help me… they feel so real…" Tifa cried embracing the woman.

"What are your nightmares about?" Vincent asked softly.

Tifa shook her head, she didn't want to tell them the details, "It's Sephiroth… he haunts my dreams... this one... it was too much."

"How'd did you get her to wake up? Was it a materia?" Cloud asked Vincent.

"Wha-?" Tifa wiped her eyes looking confused at the two men.

"Tifa…. We tried everything… we couldn't wake you up." Aeris spoke softly. Her eyes were red from crying.

"Couldn't…" Tifa looked confused.

"We shook you, we yelled out for you, Aeris even tried to smack you awake… nothing worked until Vincent heard us and came in." Cloud explained.

Tifa felt her cheek, it was a bit swollen. Her eyes moved to Vincent, they've met only briefly before he looked away.

"I know… you don't want me to be alone with Vincent… but… I think he can be the only one who understands this." Tifa looked to Cloud.

The blonde swordsman looked hurt at Tifa's request however nodded and helped Aeris up leaving the room.

Tifa got up and knelt on the bed. She patted the space next to her for Vincent to come and sit. He instead sat on the other bed closest to hers.

"Vincent… I am sorry I acted like that… Thank you for waking me." Tifa smiled shyly.

"What is it that haunts your dreams?" He asked.

"It's Sephiroth… every night, I have been having this dream... and each time it gets more and more real. And it progresses further which I fear." Tifa sighed.

"Can you tell me of this dream?" Vincent questioned.

Tifa bit her lip some, just how much did she want to disclose… "It is the night Sephiroth killed my father…we were at the Nibelheim reactor, I dreamt that I am kneeling by my father's body, my hands covered in his blood. I yell out to Sephiroth and seek my revenge, picking up his sword he discarded not too far… I enter the chamber where Shinra had been making these Mako monsters, and I see Sephiroth wishing for the door to Jenova's chamber to open for him. I run up, and he confronts me, grabbing his sword." Tifa looked away from Vincent, embarrassed and ashamed for what she was about to tell him, "I… in my memories, I would get cut, and I would fall down the stairs unconscious, but in these nightmares… I find myself frozen… It started out with just being stuck as Sephiroth taunts… but now… he has been undressing me… placing his hands on my body. His actions tonight…" Tifa pushed back the tears that threatened to fall, "He was doing the same actions that Galian was doing to me earlier." Tifa shook her head and placed her head in her hands, "He was ready to take me… and he had your eyes and sounded just like you Vincent… I am so sorry."

Vincent moved from his bed to Tifa's, carefully embracing the crying woman.

"Tifa… it was a nightmare, do not be scared." He whispered. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"No matter how hard I tried to get away, or even move, I just couldn't Vincent..." she clutched to his shirt, just now realizing that she still had his cloak somewhere in the room.

"Sh… it's over… it is alright" Vincent did his best to comfort the woman. After several minutes of gently brushing her hair with his gauntlet she sat up wiping her face.

"I'm sorry… I don't know what has gotten into me… with these nightmares… it can't be normal." Tifa glanced up to Vincent; she must have looked horrible after crying for so long.

Vincent nodded in agreement, "Perhaps these nightmares are being caused by an event or secret that you are holding… Lucrecia used to have such events happen to her."

Tifa blinked several times, could her holding secrets from Cloud be causing this? Tifa shook her head, the tears threatening to fall again, "I… I just can't." She couldn't tell him… not now. Cloud believed he was a strong SOLDIER on his way to defeat Sephiroth. "There is no way I can say what I hold."

"Tifa… you need to let it go sooner than later… If you are indeed holding something from someone, or perhaps even yourself, it will continue to haunt you." Vincent explained.

The fighter nodded moving to be embraced by Vincent. "I just don't understand… how come your voice came from him… how come your eyes were on his..." Tifa softly spoke.

Vincent had tensed; he looked down to her with his brows slightly furrowed. "Perhaps Tifa… Do you remember when I told you that Lucrecia and I were passionate with one another?"

Tifa looked up to her savior and tilted her head some confused. "Yes… but that doesn't explain any-" Tifa's eyes widened. She backed away from Vincent's embrace and brought her hands up to Vincent's face. She lowered the bandana over his eyes and observed. His facial structure was like Sephiroth's. Raising the bandana back into place, her lips parted surprised. "Vincent…. Is… Is Sephiroth your…"

Vincent looked down to the bed answering Tifa's question.

"Vincent… that time when you told me that you went to Hojo to stop Lucrecia from experimenting… you were trying to save your child… and to save your lover." Tifa placed her hands over her mouth surprised. "She ran from you to Hojo…but why? What happened? She must have known."

Vincent nodded slowly, "She knew… and as for the reason… I may never know..."


	21. Temple of the Ancients

_ Ack, thank goodness for weekends, they just don't seem to come fast enough. ^^ I hope everyone had a wonderful week. I will admit, I was worried about my last chapter, I still am… I am feeling pretty confident about this one however.

A wonderful thanks to all my readers. ^^ I hope you enjoy.

~Miss Ti

Cait had led the way to the temple of the Ancients. Vincent's secret was out and everyone with the exception of Red and Cid were cautious. Barrett was especially mad that Vincent was still allowed in the group, and it took even more convincing to have him not destroy Cait. The mechanical fortune telling Cait promised to keep Marlene safe, however the man with the gun arm didn't believe him. Cait allowed Barrett to talk to Marlene and the small girl ensured Barrett that she was safe with Aeris's mother.

Despite having been told that she kept too many deep secrets within her, Tifa decided to keep the fact that Sephiroth was Vincent's son to herself. After he had left, Tifa was blessed with a dreamless sleep. Red mentioned an all-natural remedy that could help her sleep back at Cosmo Canyon. The next time they visited Red would be sure to get the remedy.

Cid had stopped paddling the tiny bronco… they had arrived at a heavily wooded island split by a large mountain range. In the not too far off distance, Tifa could see the tip of a large black pyramid peek up from the trees.

Carefully embarking into the woods, the group cautiously approached the large black temple. It stood isolated, away from any trees… the only way to get to the temple would be to cross a wooden bridge, Tifa let out a heavy sign, her and wooden bridges just never worked out.

Aeris ran up to the wooden bridge that led to the entrance and placed a hand over her heart. She ran onto it and knelt down, placing her ear to the worn wood. "This is… the Temple of the Ancients... I … I know... I can feel it... the knowledge of the Ancients... floating." She slowly got up brushing dirt from her dress, "You could become one with the planet, but you're stopping it with the strength of will… For the future? For us?" her brows furrowed some.

"Aeris?" Cloud slowly approached, "What is it? What are you saying? Do you understand?"

Tifa stepped softly closer to Vincent; however the man didn't as much as glance at her. With a sigh Tifa held her arm and watched the woman in pink communicate with the planet.

Aeris shook her head some before storming off running up the stairs of the temple; she reaches the halfway point and placed her hands on the cool stone steps. "You're uneasy… but happy? Is it because I'm here? I don't… understand." Aeris turns and looks down to the group. "Cloud… I want to go inside."

Cloud nods and turns back to the group, "Sephiroth may or may not be in here… Red, Cid, Barrett, and Cait…. Stay out here and guard… Call us on the PHS if Sephiroth approaches… The rest are with me." Cloud made his way into the temple.

Tifa took another glance over at Vincent, however he didn't meet hers. He strode on ahead of the women, following Clouds orders and staying close. Aeris walked next to Tifa, she could easily tell that the fighter was upset.

"Everything alright Tifa?" Aeris questioned.

Yuffie too skipped up and walked on the other side of Tifa. "Seems like we are back on phase ice cold!"

Tifa didn't give either woman an answer as to the relationship of her and Vincent. She instead took some long strides moving away from the two.

Inside the temple, they found blood smeared throughout. To the side, Tseng laid holding his stomach. He held something; leaning against a alter made from decorative jewels and dark stone.

"Tseng?!" Aeris gasped moving closer to Cloud.

"So the Turks are here..." Cloud mumbled.

"I… ugh… had been had." Tseng looked up to Cloud. In his hand was the keystone. "It's not the Promised land... that Sephiroth is searching for…"

"He's inside? Sephiroth?" Cloud approached the injured man.

Tifa took a moment to glance around the temple. There were no doors, just the alter in the middle of the room. Surely there would be a hidden area to go further into the temple.

"Look… for yourself." Tseng struggled to laugh looking to the blood splattered walls. "Damn it..." he coughed up some blood, "Letting Aeris go... was the start of my bad luck… the President… he was wrong."

Aeris knelt down getting a closer look at the Turk, "You are all wrong… the Promised Land isn't like what you imagined… and I am not going to help..." She stood up moving close to Tifa, "Either way, there is no way Shinra could have won."

"Pretty harsh… for a flower girl... sounds like something you would say… eh Cloud?" Tseng smirked. He rolled the keystone to Clouds feet. "The keystone… place it on the … alter." He strained.

Cloud took the stone and moved away so that Vincent could help the injured man away from the alter. As soon as he done so, the group huddled together. Cloud placed the keystone in its proper place and they were soon lowered into the temple.

It was a long dark path; no one could even see the noses in front of their faces. Yuffie let out a groan, Tifa could feel the ninja brush against her arm crouching low holding her stomach.

"Aeris… are you crying?" Cloud softly spoke, however in the small area they were all gathered in, it was easy to hear what he was saying.

"Tseng's with our enemy, the Turks… but I have known him since we were little. There's not a lot of people I can say that about. In fact, there are probably only a handful of people in the world who really know me."

"He will live..." Vincent spoke out.

Tifa tried to reach for Vincent's hand; he however turned his back now towards her. Tifa felt a pang in her heart, she let go a small sigh and watched as light gently crept through as they descended.

The lift had stopped, the area lit up and Tifa and the others stood in awe of the place. The surrounding area seemed to go on forever… before them was a labyrinth of huts and tunnels.

Aeris stepped forward holding her head, "Words… feelings… so many of them here."

"This is such a strange place… do you think we are welcome here?" Tifa cautiously asked.

"The lift… there are no exits from here on." Vincent pointed out.

Yuffie sprinted ahead of Aeris placing a hand up over her eyes, "This place just seems to go on forever… I am starting to get dizzy..." she turned back to the group.

"Cloud..." Aeris moved taking his hand, "I know it's going to be tough, but … we can't give up. We can do it!" She smiled.

Cloud nodded and they headed off jumping off small falls and climbing vines to move on, however it was to no avail… some huts they have even entered were magically sealed, not allowing anyone in.

"What's that?" Yuffie pointed off to the distance.

A cloaked man jumped up and down in the distance, as if beckoning them to follow.

"It appears to be a being of some sort." Aeris smiled, "Let's follow it." She gave chase.

The being had moved through tunnels, climbed up vines and jumped over ledges. He finally entered a hut which held no other exit than the one he entered.

Cloud entered first followed by Vincent, Yuffie, and Aeris then finally Tifa. Aeris caught her breath not use to running for so long.

"Whew… we finally caught up to you." Aeris smiled to the being.

Tifa had gotten a closer look to the being they were chasing. It had a dark face with glowing yellow eyes. It was cloaked in a beautiful robe that shined a purple blue. It must have been an older creature, for it had a long white beard, and finally a large straw hat that covered most of its face. "Nyum, nyum..." it spoke out. Its voice strained.

"I am sorry… you waited for me." Aeris bowed some. She turned to the group with a smile, "These are spirit bodies of the Ancients… they have been away from their planet for a long time to protect this temple… Over the many years, they've lost the ability to talk. Actually..." Aeris brought a finger to her lips in thought, "They didn't need words from the beginning… there was only one objective for those left in the temple…" She turned back to being and knelt before the small spirit. "Please… talk to me." The spirit shifted some and Aeris sighed, "No good… I don't understand. Are you afraid? Is it because Sephiroth is in the Temple? Or something else?" Aeris tilted her head.

The spirit ran past them and through a different path. Tifa sprinted forward to keep up and to mark the trail with Yuffie. Cloud and Vincent assisted Aeris.

They reached a long tunnel area that was sloped. Cloud moved first to make his way to the Spirit however was pulled back abruptly by Yuffie.

"Wait! Do you hear that?" She continued to clutch onto Cloud's arm preventing him from moving.

"Yuffie?" Cloud tried to shrug off the small girl.

Right when Cloud was free from the ninja's grasp a large boulder in the shape of a C came rolling down. Cloud's face paled some and he looked back to a grinning Yuffie.

"Leave this to me; it's a typical boulder trap." She sprinted off.

Tifa couldn't help but smile and giggle alongside Aeris… While Yuffie was at work disabling the trap Tifa took the opportunity to look over to Vincent. He still had yet to meet her eyes.

Tifa sighed feeling down, had the man who confessed to her the other night decided to stop his pursuit? Aeris gently took Tifa's hand in hers giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Got it! It's safe!" Yuffie's voice echoed down.

They cautiously made their way past a room containing a large pool of crystal blue water. Aeris suddenly stopped and looked behind her past Vincent. "Oh no… Cloud!" She ran off and moved closer to side room with the pool.

Cloud moved past the group before they could comprehend to follow. They approached the pool of water; Aeris was on her knees on the far side leaning close trying to listen.

"It's full of knowledge of the Ancients…. No, not knowledge… Consciousness… a living soul… It is trying to say something." She leaned closer but shook her head, "I'm sorry, I don't understand." With a huff she brought herself closer to the water, a mere inch away from her ear touching the cool liquid. "What? What is it?" She sat up and moved to her feet brushing away any dust and dirt, "Danger… an evil… consciousness?" She tilted her head listening still, "Show? You are going to show me?"

The pool rippled and soon the group was able to see further inside the temple. Tseng stood with his hands behind his back, observing a mural.

"What's going on?" Cloud asked.

"Cloud look! It is showing us." Aeris exclaimed kneeling by the pool again for a closer look.

Inside the pools image, Elena walked up next to Tseng, her eyes lingered from the Turk to the mural. "Tseng… what is this? Can we find the Promised Land with this?"

Tseng shifted some crossing his arms in thought, "I wonder. Anyway, we have to report this to the President."

Elena seemed worried, "Right… just be careful Tseng."

Tseng let out a small chuckle then looked to Elena, "Yeah… Elena, how about dinner after this job is over?"

Tifa smiled some, even though Elena and Tseng were both professionals at their job, they were just like anyone else. Flirting on the job and asking for dates.

"T-Thank you very much" Elena blushed, "If I may be excused?"

Tseng nodded and watched Elena run off to the exit leaving Tseng alone.

Tseng let out a sigh and looked back to the Mural, "Is this the Promised Land? … No it can't be."

Yuffie and Aeris gasped as Sephiroth slowly appeared from the floor, floating up and starting Tseng. Tifa felt her stomach drop at just the image of the silver haired man.

"Sephiroth!" Tseng moved to draw his weapon however he found to be without it.

Sephiroth gracefully dropped from the small distance that he was floating on; he brushed back the long strands of his hair off his armored shoulder and turned to look at the mural, "So you opened the door… Well done."

"This place… what is it?" Tseng cautiously asked.

"A lost treasure house of knowledge. The wisdom of the Ancients… I am becoming one with the planet." Sephiroth smoothly answered.

"One with the planet?" Tseng was confused.

Sephiroth turned to Tseng with a grin, "You stupid fools. You have never even thought about it. All the spirit energy of this planet..." Sephiroth strolled past Tseng to glance at another Mural, "All its wisdom… knowledge… I will meld with it all. I will become one with it… it will become one with me."

Tseng kept himself facing Sephiroth, "You can do that?"

Sephiroth let a wicked smile form on his lips. His hand casually reached for the hilt of his sword, "The way… lies here." He turned quickly slashing Tseng in the stomach. The Turk fell back against the mural clutching his stomach. Sephiroth moved to stand before Tseng, stabbing him in the chest, Tseng let out a cry of pain.

"Only death awaits you all… but do not fear. For it is through death that a new spirit energy is born. Soon, you will live again as a part of me." The pool rippled again and returned to its clear blue state.

"Did you see that?" Aeris looked to the group.

"An illusion that the Ancients showed…" Vincent softly spoke.

"Grossness!" Yuffie shivered, "Tseng was in bad shape."

Tifa sighed and nodded to Aeris, "I saw it…"

"Where is that room with the pictures on the walls?" Cloud asked Aeris.

Aeris closed her eyes a brief moment, "We are almost there."

"Sephiroth is here, right?" Cloud looked over the group, "No matter what he thinks, it is going to end here. I am taking him out!" Cloud clenched his fists heated.

"We're here too, you know…" Tifa smiled wearily at Cloud.

"Like I have nothing to do with it… but I guess I will lend a hand" Yuffie winked.

Cloud nodded and lead the way. They made it to a large chamber that used clock hands as a bridge. Cloud carefully set the time to allow them access to the different tunnels. Several were filled with monsters that Vincent and Cloud easily took care of, while others led to treasures. Yuffie ended up getting a new megaphone for Cait to use. Setting the time once more, they were allowed access to a new area. This area was a large room with three floors. They could easily jump down each floor however it was too high to climb. On the top floor was a large decorative door. A spirit quickly locked the door as it took notice of Clouds group and ran into the far tunnel. "Let's get him." Cloud chased. The other followed and soon found that no matter how long they chased the spirit, it would always flee from them. Each tunnel led to a different floor.

"Damn…" Cloud stopped to catch his breath. They were on the second floor; they could see the spirit taunting them on the first. "Split up, everyone take a tunnel. I will chase him."

Everyone followed Clouds orders. Soon enough Aeris had caught the spirit and was given the key. They found their way back up to the large locked door and opened it, inside was the room with the murals.

"This is the room we saw back at the vision pool." Aeris gasped at the large artistic details.

"Where are you Sephiroth!" Clouds voice echoed the room.

Tifa moved through each mural, trying to understand the story behind them. The first mural had people standing outside the Temple of the Ancients. The second had them walking in procession… third had them standing around the alter inside the temple. Tifa thought hard on where this was going to. The fourth mural had people standing near a low table with two jar-like objects on it. The fifth held a woman holding what appeared to be materia, in the background a large meteor was falling from the sky. The sixth had people. Their faces looked worried. And the last held people dying in flames.

Tifa placed a hand gently over her mouth, was this the purpose of the temple?

"So cold…" Tifa turned in shock at a deep voice, Sephiroth was standing next to her appearing from nowhere. Tifa's legs shook as she stepped away from him. "I am always by your side… come."

Cloud ran up with his hand ready to draw his weapon. Cloud looked around confused as Sephiroth suddenly vanished.

Tifa moved over closer to Vincent, her heart racing from the memories of her dreams.

"A treasure of knowledge…" Sephiroth's voice sounded as if it came from everywhere inside the room. Yuffie stood nervous but ready to take action. Aeris didn't seem to be too phased about Sephiroth being in the same room as them.

"I don't understand... what are you saying?" Cloud yelled out.

Sephiroth's laughs echoed and moved around the room. Tifa covered her ears, his laugh felt like it was taunting her. He reappeared at the mural of the woman and meteor. "Look well." Sephiroth smiled to Cloud.

"What?" Cloud approached cautiously, "Look at what?"

"At that which adds to the knowledge of…" Sephiroth's eyes lingered on the image of the meteor. "I am becoming one with the planet." He laughs again and flies up into the ceiling, the stone material rippling.

Cloud and the others looked around trying to find the silver haired man, they found him slowly appear seated, slumped against an alter containing a small floating version of the temple jumbled up.

"Mother… it is almost time" Sephiroth cooed softly, "Soon, we will become one." He gets to his feet as Cloud approaches. The others followed behind him cautiously and on their guard.

"How do you intend to become one with the planet?" Aeris spoke out firmly; in her hands was her weapon.

Sephiroth drew his blade swinging it around keeping everyone far. Tifa was starting to charge her lightning materia however Vincent's hand grabbed her wrist, stopping the action.

Tifa looked to the gunman confused; wanting an answer… he gave her none, his eyes resting on the face of Sephiroth.

"It's simple… once the planet is hurt, it gather's spirit energy to heal the injury. The amount of energy gathered depends on the size of the injury…" He thrusts his blade hard into the floor of the temple, a wicked grin on his face as he looks to Aeris, "What would happen if there was an injury that threatened the very life of the planet? Think… of just how much energy would be gathered!" Sephiroth pulled his blade out, the sound of his sword rang through the room. He let out a laugh as Tifa and the others prepared to fight, "And at the center of that injury, will be me. All that boundless energy will be mine." He pointed his weapon at each and every one of the group. "By merging with all the energy of the Planet, I will become a new life form. A new existence. Melding with the Planet… I will cease to exist as I am now… only to be reborn as a 'God' to rule over every soul." Sephiroth's sword pointed to Tifa. Her heart jumped into her throat, his blue Mako eyes felt like it was piercing into her soul. Sephiroth moved his blade pointing it to Vincent before stopping at Cloud.

Aeris backed some, her face pale with fear, "An injury powerful enough to destroy the planet? You monster!"

"Behold the mural. The Ultimate destructive magic… Meteor!" Sephiroth used his blade to point at the mural with the meteor. Tifa's eyes went wide, what Sephiroth was planning was more than what they had set out for. They needed to end this now before it was too late.

"That will never happen!" Cloud yelled out.

Sephiroth's feet gracefully left the ground. He lifted high enough to fly over the group then vanished.

"Wake up!" Sephiroth's voice whispered through the walls of the mural room.

"Sephiroth! Where are you!?" Cloud franticly searched the room. He ran in the direction where Sephiroth flew to.

"Cloud wait!" Aeris reached for him.

Tifa took Aeris's hand and they quickly followed. They found Cloud in front of the mural with meteor; his body seemed to be doubled, while his body moved, a second image followed seconds later.

"Cloud?" Aeris asked.

"What are you doing?" Yuffie was nervous. It looked like Cloud was laughing, he was laughing!

"Cloud" Tifa's brows furrowed. She had gotten Clouds attention.

"Ha, ha, ha… Black materia." He continued to laugh; he just wasn't himself, "Call meteor."

"Cloud! Get a hold of yourself!" Aeris yelled.

Cloud seemed pained; he clutched his head, the mirror image following soon after. Cloud groaned shaking his head, "Cloud… I'm Cloud… how should I?" Cloud fell to one knee as he continued to hold his head. The mirror image soon merged with him.

Tifa stepped back shocked and confused at what was happening to her friend. Even Yuffie couldn't bear to watch. Vincent however didn't seem too phased; he just watched seeming not to care.

Aeris's eyes softened, she glanced over at Tifa and slowly stepped to her lover, "Cloud…"

Cloud got up shaking his head, "Mm? What's wrong? Is something the matter?" He asked casually as if nothing had happened to him.

"It's nothing, so don't worry about it." Aeris smiled softly, "Right, Cloud! It's nothing." Aeris turned to the group.

Yuffie managed to shrug it off. Vincent was stoic as ever... Tifa couldn't help but bite her lower lip. She wanted everything to be alright with her childhood friend… just what was happening to him?

"Sephiroth got away" Aeris smirked some to Cloud.

"Don't worry about it. I understood what he was saying." Cloud moved back from the murals to see them all from a distance, "So this must be meteor right?" he asked.

"I don't know what it is… but it looks like it's going to make a mess." Yuffie followed Cloud mimicking his movements.

"Something huge falling from the sky?" Vincent was skeptical.

"This must be magic. Just what Sephiroth was saying. The ultimate destructive magic, Meteor. It finds small drifting planets with its magic. And then collides with them. This Planet might get wiped out entirely." Aeris sighed looking down.

The temple begun to shake, Yuffie fell on her backside while Cloud had caught Aeris's arm. Tifa regained her balance and looked around confused.

"Sephiroth?" Cloud was just as lost.

Sephiroth's laughter sounded throughout the room, "It's not me…"

From the far side a large red dragon appeared. It blocked the exit, everyone would have to fight it and take caution. They didn't have much room to run around and dodge attacks.

The dragon roared; fire gathered from inside its mouth and shot out to the group spreading them out. "Cloud boost!" Yuffie yelled out.

Cloud dug his sword into the temple floor and netted his hands together. Yuffie ran up and with a boosted jump she cleared the dragon.

The beast roared in frustration however due to its large mass within the room it wasn't able to turn around and attack the small girl. It could only swing its tail in hopes that it would get the attacking ninja.

"Aeris!" Vincent's voice called out.

The woman in pink looked up to see a fireball shot in her direction. Vincent managed to grab the woman and jump away just in time.

Cloud charged the dragon and tried his best to pierce its thick scales. The red dragon leant down and snapped at Cloud, the Ex-SOLDIER was however too quick. Cloud jumped back as razor sharp teeth snapped down.

Tifa sprinted forward and let out a yell swinging her fist at the dragons lowered face. She hit its teeth shattering one side of its mouth sending splinters of broken tooth everywhere. The dragon wailed in pain and blindly started to thrash about shaking the entire room. Tifa jumped back just as the dragon swiped at her with one of its massive claws.

Gunshots rang out as Vincent begun to fire at the beast's face, its sensitive toothless side made a perfect opening. Yuffie was on the dragons back making quick work of its scales, digging into the back reaching for its spine.

Cloud swung his blade behind his back several times before running up to the dragon slashing at it with an X like fashion. The dragon stood frozen in place, twitching to free itself. Tifa took the opportunity to stand in front of the dragon; she held her hands in the same fashion as Cloud did for Yuffie so that he could land the killing blow.

Cloud sprinted forward and Tifa caught his foot in her hands, pushing him up to assist with the jump, Cloud had easily reached the weakened beast. Spinning around he managed to behead the dragon and land next to Yuffie on the beasts back.

Tifa jumped back and watch the beast squirm and twist a few times, its nerves lasting only a few seconds. Cloud took a breath of relief and jumped off the dragon with Yuffie before the beast vanished.

Aeris smiled running over to Cloud embracing him for a job well done.

Tifa once more felt strange being there watching them. She couldn't help but suffer the imaginary monster inside of her called envy poke at her gut.

Cloud embraced Aeris back and looked around the room, "Any sign of Sephiroth?"

Aeris shook her head pulling away from the embrace, "He disappeared."

Cloud smiled at Aeris and with a nod they made their way back to the alter with the floating temple puzzle.

"What is this?" Cloud looked at the black object.

Aeris squinted taking a closer look, "There's something written on it…. B.l.a.c.k. M.a.t.e.r.i.a.."

"Black materia?" Cloud looked surprised.

"What should we do Cloud?" Aeris looked over to the blonde worried.

Cloud's hand reached out; he tried to take the materia however the temple violently shook, everyone stumbled and struggled to stay standing. Tifa and Yuffie both held onto one another for support. Cloud immediately let go of the materia and gave it a skeptical look.

"Hold on, let me ask." Aeris moved away from the group listening intently. "What? I don't understand… Really?" Aeris turned back to the group and moved up standing next to Cloud, "They said that the temple itself is the black materia."

"What? You mean that..."

Aeris nodded to Cloud, "This whole building is the black materia."

"But..." Cloud shook his head, "This temple is huge, how could it be?"

Aeris moved up to the mini temple, "You see this is a model of the temple. And inside it is a device which gets smaller each time you solve a puzzle. And as the model becomes smaller, you become smaller too, until it is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand."

Tifa blinked surprised. This large temple was in fact the materia! She smiled some; the ancients really were mystical beings, putting such thought into protecting the planet.

Cloud sighed, "So if we solve the puzzles, the black materia will get smaller and smaller and we can take it out?"

"Yes but there's one thing…" Aeris added, "You can only answer the puzzles inside the temple. So anyone who solves the puzzle will be crushed by the temple."

Yuffie paled and moved to leave, "Let's just leave it and get the hell out of here!"

Tifa bit her lip some worried also, if they went to this much lengths, it couldn't be good to take, "perhaps we should just leave it…"

"I guess that means it's safe here." Vincent agreed.

Cloud shook his head, "No… We've got to think of a way to get it out. Because Sephiroth has lots of different flunkies. It is nothing to him to throw their lives away to get the black materia. This place isn't safe."

"So what are we going to do?" Aeris frowned some.

A chocobo wark was suddenly heard followed by a catchy jingle; Cloud looked around himself before pulling out his PHS. "Uh… hello?" he asked confused.

"Hi, Cloud. It's Cait!" the feline's voice could be heard from Cloud's phone. "I overheard the whole story! Don't forget about me. Everything you said makes perfect sense. You can use my stuffed body for the future of the planet!"

Cloud's free hand moved to hold Aeris's.

Tifa glanced over at Vincent suddenly feeling very alone, he however wouldn't go near her as long as Cloud was around… or at least that's what she told herself.

"We can't let Sephiroth get his hands on the black materia… and we can't let the Shinra get theirs on it either." Cloud explained over the phone.

"But Cloud, there's really nothing else you can do." Cait's voice spoke out matter of fact, "Everyone… please trust me."

Cloud glanced to the members of his group. His eyes narrowed on Vincent however Cloud soon sighed, "I guess we have no choice…"

Tifa looked to Cloud confused; did he want Vincent to sacrifice himself when there was a mechanical creature able to do it for them?

"Nya! Leave it to me! Please hurry, you've got to get out of there… I will be waiting at the exit." Cait hung up.

Cloud turned to the group and signaled for them to follow. They backtracked to the large clock room and found that it wouldn't budge; it was pointed to have them cross straight ahead.

They reached a narrow hallway which felt uncomfortably warm. Cloud moved to open the door located at the far side of the room. He touched the handle however backed away from it, "It's warm… this isn't good."

"Cloud!" Aeris yelled, "Behind you!"

Tifa's eyes widen in shock as a long arms pulled from the wall. They were placed on the ground and clawed at the dirt. A large demon like head then emerged snapping at Cloud. The swordsman jumped back just in time.

The demon roared to life and reached out to claw at the group. Tifa jumped back before being swiped at. She noticed that Vincent had been grabbed and was now being squeezed.

"Cloud! Vincent!" Aeris pointed.

Cloud nodded and ran up to the demon's left arm and tried to hack away at the appendage. It would not let go of the gunman however.

Yuffie threw her Shurikun, it struck the monsters face causing it to squeeze Vincent before throwing him against the wall.

"Vincent!" Tifa yelled out. She ran over however Cloud stopped her. "Tifa! I need you to fight! Aeris has healing duties."

Tifa looked past Cloud to see that the woman in pink was already casting her healing wind.

Tifa nodded and ran up to the creature. She ran up the wall placing a kick; however she fell back hard onto the floor. The demon's face and arms looked soft; he moved with a fluid motion; however his body was as thick as the stone he came out of.

The demon soon begun to bash its fists against the ceiling and floor. Tifa jumped back avoiding the hands however she inadvertently jumped under a falling part of ceiling. She was tacked out of the way and soon a howl overcame the room. Tifa looked of shock as she saw her savior. Galian growled and turned pulling its tail from underneath the rubble. He inhaled and let loose a roar setting the wall aflame.

Cloud kept an eye on the free beast, however moved more of his attention onto the melting wall. He hacked away at the demon alongside Yuffie.

Galian offered its claw to Tifa. She hesitantly took it, fighting the fear inside of her.

The beast pulled Tifa close, inhaling her scent. Tifa stood stiff as a board; her body desperately wanted this attention from Vincent, Galian however was giving it to her.

Galian pulled away from Tifa, its claws on her shoulders. He was hunched over, to look at her with its burning yellow eyes. "Stay…" He told her.

Tifa blinked confused, he mouth slightly agape at the situation at hand.

The wall demon continued to thrash about. The hall was starting to collapse more and more on itself. They needed to take down the demon fast.

"Galian! Attack that demon!" Tifa yelled out jumping out of the way of another falling rock.

Galian huffed; with a roar and leapt over to the demon joining Cloud. Galian used its sharp claws, tearing away at anything and everything.

The demon begun to crumble into itself; defeated and screeching out in agony. Tifa moved to help Aeris up from hiding under a bolder that created a small shelter.

Cloud had kept his attack up as Galian searched over the group. He smirked to Cloud and slowly changed back into Vincent's true form.

"Vincent… that is you right?" Cloud questioned.

Vincent let out a small nod just as Cait bust through the now open door.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" he bounded over to Cloud on his Mog. "I'll handle the rest…" Cait looked over the entire group that was present. His voice sounded sad, "I guess… Everyone take care of yourselves."

Aeris moved to Cloud taking his hand in hers. She looked to the small cat, then to Cloud "Cait Sith…. Cloud… say something!"

Cloud's expression softened some, Tifa understood. Even though he was a traitor, not anyone would just risk their life for a greater purpose…

"I'm not good at this…" Cloud spoke softly, however the robotic cat heard.

"mmm…. I understand. I feel the same way too." Cait agreed.

Aeris suddenly perked up, she smiled widely, "Hey! Why don't you read our fortunes?"

Cait instantly perked up, Aeris had an infectious smile, "Say, that's right! I haven't done that in a while. I'm so excited. Right or wrong, I am still the same 'ol me. Now what should I predict?"

Aeris pulled Cloud closer to her, "Let's see how compatible Cloud and I are."

Tifa felt a pang in her chest and turned around making her way to the exit slowly. She didn't want to hear it; however she couldn't help but eavesdrop.

"That'll cost ya exactly one date!" Cait exclaimed, "Here I go!" He danced on top of his Mog and pulled out a slip of paper. "This…. This isn't good." Cait spoke softly, "Poor Tifa…"

Tifa turned some her lips pursed. She tried her best to listen in.

Aeris ran up to Cait trying to glance at the paper. "Tell me! I promise I won't get mad!"

Cait however crumbled it up and tossed it into the rubble. It slipped between the cracks, now lost forever, "Is that so?" Cait smirked slightly, "Then I will tell you…" He cracked his knuckles and yelled out, "Looks good! You are perfect for each other. Aeris's star and Cloud's star, they show a great future…" Cait's smile faltered some, "I guess… this is the final… final farewell." Cait turned and bounded off on his Mog. Aeris chased after Cait waving her hand in a goodbye fashion. "Be strong Cait Sith!" she spoke out with a tear falling down her cheek.

Tifa turned back to the door and exited the temple first. She crossed the bridge ignoring the shakes and moved to the group that was designated to guard outside.

"Yo Teef! How'd it go?" Barrett asked.

Tifa ignored her friend and moved away from the group sitting in the grass holding her legs. She didn't understand why Cait's fortune had bothered her. She was happy for Aeris and Cloud after all. Just hearing that Cait pitied her right in front of everyone had set her nerves in a rage. She truly did forget about her and Cloud being together… right?

Tifa looked up to see Vincent standing before her. Tifa narrowed her eyes at the man and turned her head looking away. Not too far behind Vincent was Red, his escort while Cloud was waiting for the materia to shrink down.

"What is it that you feel?" Vincent questioned; his voice was firm.

Tifa pursed her lips more; she knew she was acting ridiculous, especially in front of someone who cared for her. To be sitting away from everyone and pouting, she was causing an unneeded scene. She was however angry… angry at Vincent, angry at Cloud, angry at Cait…. She was however more angry with herself.

"Vincent…" She sighed, "I can't help but think that I still have feelings for Cloud inside of me." He looked skeptical of her answer, "It's so hard to explain, I am worn out right now." Tifa got up taking a glance past Vincent to see Red curled up watching the both of them. The fighter rolled her eyes some at the lion creature; she hoped he enjoyed the drama.

Vincent turned to move back to the group. Tifa clenched her fist angry with the gunman "Is that all? You are just going to come over here to ask me what I am feeling? Vincent you have me so confused right now… you act jealous around any man I show affection to, but then you push me away. Throughout this whole temple trip you have ignored me. Are you afraid of Cloud? Are you deliberately pushing me away? Is it Galian?" Tifa shook her head trying to clear the thoughts running through her mind.

Vincent stared down at the fighter, refusing to answer her back.

"Vincent… I can't… I just don't understand what you are feeling. Why do you push me away? You give off such mixed signals that it is going to drive me crazy. Whether the two of us feel something, or should just stick as friends, I will not be toyed with."

Vincent nodded some acknowledging. "Your eyes…." Vincent started.

Tifa looked up to the gunman, her eyes meeting his. His facial expression softened some.

"Your eyes remind me of hers. I cannot help but feel mixed emotions myself…"

The fighter stood wide eyed at Vincent. She reminded him of Lucrecia, at least her eyes did. Was that what all this was about then? Was he only with her to cling to a long lost lover? He continued to look to her; she needed to answer back, but with what? What do you tell someone you had begun to grow feelings for, to think they showed feelings for you, but are just not into you to begin with. She needed to stay positive; she couldn't let this be any stranger than it already was.

Tifa looked down with a small fake smile on her lips. "Was that so hard? To tell me that?"

Vincent let out a small chuckle. He turned to the temple just as it was starting to shrink.

"So what is it that goes on between the both of you?" Red spoke out, the end of his tail swishing to and fro.

"I think… we are just both unrequited lovers… looking for arms of comfort." Vincent folded his arms.

Tifa brought a hand up to touch her chest, the area where her heart would be. She felt an ache, however smiled at it. She looked to the gunman, really looking at him. He was a broken man behind that mask of a cloak, and he was still mourning the loss of Lucrecia. He was strong, fast, smart, whether it was because of the experimentation or not. Vincent looked to Tifa not as a crush, or future lover… but as comfort. In her eyes, the eyes that held the same chocolate brown as Lucrecia's, he could apologize, and mend his broken past. In time he will open more to her, and perhaps one day, his feelings for the fighter would be genuine. She just hoped to someday find the man that had spoken to her, broken at the alley, and truly show those emotions he kept hidden deep inside.

Tifa sighed and made her way back to the empty hole that the temple once was in. She promised to not pursue Vincent until he had redeemed himself and moved on and wished to become closer to her. The fighter let out a small laugh shaking her head, the situation was similar to the one with Cloud. "Unrequited lovers…" she softly spoke out. She had hoped Vincent was far away enough to not have heard, those sensitive ears could pick up a pin dropping on a pillow.

Tifa walked up next to Cid, the fighter offered her a smoke. With a disgusted look on her face she declined making the pilot laugh.

"So you and Vampire had something going on?" he smirked.

Tifa thought on it for a second or two but then shook her head. "It's all one sided."

Cid looked surprised at Tifa, "Didn't expect an answer outta you in regards to this % #&" Cid looked back to the hole to where the rest of the group was at.

Tifa too turned and looked over the party. Yuffie was trying to trade Materia with Barrett. Red and Vincent were talking with one another, and it seemed like a new Cait was clinging to Mog as it bounded its way to the group.

Cid took a long drag of his cigarette and slowly let out a breath, "You know… there are plenty of men out there… that wouldn't pull you along for a ride and #%& "

Tifa laughed a bit and looked up at Cid, "I know… I just can't seem to get these mystery men out of my mind though."

"Well I could be kind of mysterious too" Cid winked to Tifa.

The fighter shook her head still laughing, "No Cid… you have someone waiting for you."

Cid groaned and turned back to look down at Cloud and Aeris. "Whoa! ^%& Cloud!" Cid jumped down into the pit.

Tifa looked and placed a hand over her mouth shocked. Cloud was holding Aeris down by her neck repeatedly hitting her face and body.

"Cloud!" Tifa yelled out jumping in after Cid.

The pilot managed to pull Cloud off of Aeris. Tifa moved to the flower girl and helped her sit up.

"Don't… it's not his fault…" Aeris sniffed nursing her side.

Cloud was struggling against Cid trying to get at Aeris.

Tifa stood up and felt her nerves stand on end. What the hell could have caused Cloud to hit a woman, let alone the woman he loved? She moved closer to Cloud and placed an iron fist across his face.

Knocked out cold, Cid placed Cloud onto the ground.

Tifa prepared to cast her Cure2 Materia on Aeris, the woman in pink however already casting.

"What the %^&#$ did I just see and what happened?" Cid took out another smoke.

"It's was Sephiroth…" Aeris stood up and fixed her dress. "It wasn't Cloud… Sephiroth said something to him…" Aeris looked down at Cloud with a worried look on her face.

Tifa shook out her fist some with a sigh, "Sorry… he will be out for a while."

Aeris shook her head with a smile, "It is fine..."

"Ey' is everything alright down there?" Barrett called out.

Tifa remained quiet, as did Cid. Aeris waved back to the others, "Everything is fine! Can someone come get Cloud?"

"Cloud? What the hell does he need help for? What happened?" Barrett tilted his head confused.

"Never mind… just do it." Tifa shouted up.

"Alwright! Calm down!" Barrett begun to climb down the temple's hole. He slung Cloud over his shoulder and with Cid's help they all made it out.

Tifa wiped the dirt from her hands and moved to Cloud's pack digging out a map. "We are not far from Gongaga… let's bring Cloud there to recover."

"Gongaga? That run down place?" Yuffie sighed, "They have nothing there…" She groaned.

"Yuffie!" Tifa turned to the Ninja girl. She looked over the group and found Aeris staring off to the distance.

"Aeris?" Tifa moved closer to her friend.

"Tifa…" The flower girl smiled, "let's go… the sooner we get to Gongaga the better." Aeris embraced her friend.

Confused, Tifa hugged the woman back with a smile.

They carried Cloud back to the Tiny Bronco; Gongaga was just across the sea, in less than 3 hours they made shore.

Yuffie quickly jumped off hugging the ground. Cid and Vincent carried Cloud through the woods into the small destroyed town. They rented the only single bed and placed him upon it.

Aeris took a seat next to Clouds bedside, "We should set up camp… he will awaken in the morning." Aeris smiled to the group. "I want to stay with Cloud for a while… do you guys mind?" Tifa looked at both men with a sweet smile on her face.

Vincent and Cid both nodded leaving Aeris alone. Tifa lingered at the inn's counter, or more like table a few moments more. She watched as Aeris looked lovingly at Cloud. She leaned over placing a gentle kiss upon his lips. Tifa paid the innkeeper and made her way outside. She noticed that Barrett had already set up camp. Tifa sighed and begun to take out the pots and pans to prepare cooking, however she was stopped by Red.

"Perhaps it is best we eat at the local eatery… they could use the income." The lion smirked.

Tifa opened up her Gil pouch and counted how much she had. She had saved up quite a bit, and perhaps this good deed would help the town.

"Alright then… seeing how we are safe…. I guess we have time to kill until Cloud wakes up." Tifa smiled to the group.

They all nodded and dispersed, each one going off into a different direction. Tifa couldn't help but feel like something was going on… Aeris had begun to act strange…

Tifa stopped in at a broken bar, ordering a whiskey she placed a generous amount of Gil on the counter. The lopsidedness of the bar caused the money to slowly slide. The bartender handed her the drink then moved to get the money.

Tifa brought the strong drink to her lips and sipped the golden liquid. It burned her tongue and her throat. It was not a good year, nor was it a quality that Tifa would serve even in her own bar.

She finished the glass just as Barrett and Cid ran in. It was beginning to get dark. With a heavy sigh she decided to make her way to the wooded area around Gongaga. She never had much of a chance to be around so many trees, it was a nice change. Tifa noticed a branch low enough; with a running start she could run up the tree and grab onto it.

Tifa smirked and moved quickly, she took three steps on the trunk and clutched the branch. With a triumphent 'ha, ha!' she pulled herself up and sat carefully. The scene before her was beautiful. It was dark, and the trees just seemed to go on forever. Fireflies gently glowed, and crickets chirped. Tifa leaned back and allowed herself to hang by just her legs; her shoulders were caught before she could flip down.

"Ah!" Tifa struggled so see who had her, however feeling a warm hand and cool metal it was easy to tell it was Vincent.

"So now you want to be around me." Tifa sighed, "I take it you lost Yuffie?"

The caped man moved to stand in front of Tifa, red with yellow eyes stared at her.

"Galian…" Tifa reached up for the branch from her upside down position. She sat up and looked down to the monster in human skin.

"Precious…" Galian purred. "He knows you are not Lucrecia… he is afraid to be close to you still…"

"You are talking about Vincent? What do you mean? How do I know you are not just trying to get to me..."

Galian moved to lean against the tree Tifa was on, "I cannot say precious…"

"Well then I am not just going to be waiting around for Vincent… after all, I am not immortal like he is." Tifa jumped down from the tree. With new found strength she was no longer afraid of Galian. "Have you and Vincent been cooperating?"

Galian let out a nod, "Yes precious, as long as I get what I desire…"

Tifa turned to face Galian, her body chilled and her fingers went numb, "And… what is it that you desire?"

"Your attention… nothing more." Galian stepped closer to Tifa.

The fighter stood her ground, she didn't want to be chased by Galian again, and it always ended up bad. She allowed him to get mere inches away. He raised a hand to gently touch her face.

Tifa continued to look at Galian, never showing any other emotion aside from strength. She wanted to absorb the warmth of the touch… if only it were Vincent's.

"Galian… it is late. I am going back to camp." Tifa spoke softly.

Galian growled some he reached to grab at Tifa however stopped himself.

Tifa smiled as those yellow infused eyes reddened. Vincent took control over himself and with a heavy sigh he walked past Tifa back to camp.

Tifa's smile fell, she felt very much alone since they had last talked. Tifa walked back to camp, dreading the night, dreading her dreams.


	22. Field of Flowers and The Woman In Pink

Hello to all! Yes I am posting early! I just couldn't wait. Hope everyone had a good week and will have a terrific Friday and weekend.. ;-; my poor daughter has been ill last weekend, she then got me ill… however that gave me a lot of time to catch up on writing for you guys ^^. Everyone is better and healthy in this household thankfully the bug did not last long. And I must tell you how proud I am of my little girl ^^ At 10 months… she started walking! She is ahead of her daycare class and advancing so fast.

**Numinous-Alqua:** You always brighten my day. ^^ A devoted reader and reviewer is much appreciated and gives me plenty of motivation to work on improving. I am really happy that you liked the Gold Saucer chapter. And yes there was a huge amount of drama in the last chapter… I really want to put a strain on the party, especially when this chapter happens...

**SaikouXP:** I am very glad that you like it. And thank you for taking interest in my story. ^_^

**Varna: **You are very welcome ^^ I enjoy writing this so much, I find that most of my free time is devoted to writing, re-reading and tweaking. I don't think I will stop until its finished, and even then I don't think it will be 'truly' finished ^_~.

Thank you to all my readers and I thank you very much for taking the time to read. I now present to you a much awaited and dreaded chapter.

~Miss Ti

"No! Stop!" Tifa struggled to move, however her naked body was immobile. She laid on the cold reactor floor, Sephiroth hovered above her. "Tifa wake up! Wake up!" She yelled at herself.

Sephiroth ran a gloved hand down Tifa's chest, slightly halting on the peak of her breast before making its way between her legs.

Tifa wanted to squirm out of the grasp, "Please wake up!" She had begun to sob.

Sephiroth grinned before claiming Tifa's mouth. She wanted to bite at his invading tongue, yet her body was still unresponsive, it only seemed to move at Sephiroth's will. She could feel his warm tongue swirl with hers, aggressively attacking. She clamped her eyes shut, trying to figure out anything that could help her wake up. With a found strength she managed to move her head, breaking the kiss.

"Such a feisty woman… I do like them aggressively reluctant." The silver haired man purred in her ear.

"Stop please!" Tifa's body twitched as he slid his finger over her bundle of nerves, "Stop!" She yelled out.

Sephiroth nipped at Tifa's jaw, he left a trail of kisses leading down to her breast.

"Someone help me… wake me up!" Tifa yelled out, hoping that Aeris, Cloud, and Vincent would save her again.

"There is no one to save you…" Sephiroth's blue Mako eyes gazed up to Tifa.

Tifa felt a finger move further between her legs; she tried to crush the invading man with her thighs however felt no response from her legs. She gasped and bit back a moan as Sephiroth assaulted her.

"It's completely natural to enjoy such attention… a woman of your looks and stature as a barkeep should be begging for this… you've had such a long journey." Sephiroth cooed.

"No! I'm not like that" Tifa screamed down at Sephiroth. She could feel his finger move within her.

"Would you be for someone else?" Sephiroth grinned, his hair shortening drastically and spiking out in different directions. His angular face softens some and the pale complexion grew color to it. With a final morph he took on the image of Cloud.

Tifa's heart beat heavily. She looked away some, "No! Stop this!"

"Teef… you don't want to be with me?" Sephiroth's voice sounded like Clouds, however behind it rang Sephiroth's voice.

"Don't do this, stop!" She shook her head closing her eyes. "Wake up Tifa, wake up!"

"Why stay where love goes on unrequited…" Clouds voice was replaced by one more leathery, more dark and smooth. "Why not give into this dream… and have your desires fulfilled."

Tifa opened her eyes to come face to face with a cloak-less Vincent. His red eyes bore deep into her soul. Her heart beat faster and heavier.

Sephiroth now disguised as Vincent moved his finger within her more, curling hitting her in her most vulnerable spot.

Tifa unwillingly let out a moan; her hips swayed absorbing the action.

Sephiroth grinned however soon moved out of Tifa morphing back into himself. He held his chest in pain. Tifa looked confused at the action, she clamped shut her eyes as an over powerful light begun to consume the silver haired man.

Sephiroth let out a yell of pain. His voice slowly died out.

Tifa peeked open an eye and noticed that she was now in a large open area. Flowers were everywhere, as far as she could see. Looking down at herself she could see that she was dressed in her current attire, no more cowgirl dress.

Looking around Tifa noticed a woman dressed in pink in the distance. "Aeris?"

Tifa walked up to her friend slowly, glancing down trying her best to avoid stepping on the many flowers. The woman in pink turned and smiled to Tifa.

"Those dreams will not be haunting you again… to truly prevent others from happening though, you should talk to him." She spoke softly.

Tifa's breath hitched, she looked down at the flowers feeling ashamed. "I… I know. I just…"

"You are just protecting him." Aeris stepped forward smiling. "Everything will be alright Tifa… Have faith in yourself."

Tifa smiled looking to her friends emerald green eyes. She embraced the woman in pink, holding on tightly.

"I must leave… Don't worry; I will take care of everything… You just take care of Cloud." Aeris pulled away from the hug to smile once more at Tifa.

"What? Leave?" Tifa looked confused. "Why leave, let's do this together!"

Aeris shook her head some, "Don't worry; I will be back before you know it…"

Tifa jumped up from her lying position. Looking around she could hear Yuffie snoring, on the other side of the ninja was an untouched sleeping bag.

"Aeris…" Tifa spoke softly. She got up and tied up her shoes. Leaving the tent she looked up to the sky, it was just before morning. Tifa sprinted to the inn and burst through the hanging door, she entered the area Cloud was kept and looked around. The room was empty, only Cloud resided. "She… she did leave…"

Barrett soon entered; he had been up stoking the fire. "Teef? Everything alwright?"

"She left…" Aeris turned to her friend. "Aeris left the group."

"Wha?" Barrett scratched his head confused. He was about to ask for more when Cloud stirred.

Tifa moved to Clouds bedside and looked down at the blonde. "Cloud…"

Cloud sat up and ruffled his hair some, his face looked pained.

"Man you look like you jes woke up from a nightmare… How are you feeling?" Barrett stepped up to stand next to Tifa.

"I seem to be ok…" Cloud looked himself over.

Tifa smiled some, she didn't know what caused Cloud to hit Aeris, he seemed ok now…

"That's good. Man… I didn't know what was gonna happen." Barrett had been thinking the same thing.

"You know…" Tifa sighed; she might as well break the news about Aeris, "Cloud… Aeris is gone."

Barrett sighed, "I will have everyone looking for her."

Tifa backed up with Barrett as Cloud got up, "City of the Ancients… Aeris is headed there."

Barrett was taken back, "By herself?! Why did she go by herself?! Hey, we going right?"

Tifa thought about what Aeris had said in her dream. She said that she would be back…

"Only the Ancients, only Aeris can save us from Meteor." Cloud informed.

"Then… we must go. What'll we do if something happens to Aeris? What if Sephiroth finds her, she would be in trouble." Tifa subconsciously held at the Cure2 Materia she was given by the woman in pink.

"Sephiroth already knows…" Cloud looked to Tifa.

She felt a lump of dread in her throat. If Sephiroth already knew, then she would be in serious danger.

"Then why the hell are we sitting around?!" Barrett made for the door.

"Let's go Cloud!" Tifa followed.

"No"

Barrett and Tifa stopped, turning to Cloud surprised.

"No?" Tifa asked.

Cloud brought a hand up to his head, nursing it, "I might lose it again… If Sephiroth comes near me… I might."

Barrett folded his arms, "Yeah, damn it! It's 'cuz of you that Sephiroth got the Black Materia in the first place. It's your damn fault!"

"Barrett!" Tifa couldn't believe the gun armed man would just speak out like that. Then again this was Barrett…

"My fault?" Cloud looked pained and confused.

"I know you got problems… hell, we all do. But you don't even understand yourself." Barrett's voice was less hostile. "But you gotta understand, that there ain't no getting' offa this train we're on, till we get to the end of the line." Barrett smirked.

Tifa smiled to her friend, then looked to Cloud, "Cloud, we came this far… Aren't you going to settle up with Sephiroth?"

Cloud shook his head stepping back away from them, "No… I'm afraid. If this keeps up, I may go crazy! I'm afraid."

Barrett brought his hand down on the inn's door frame shaking the entire structure. "Just a damn jackass, that's what you are! Yo, jes' think about it… how many people in this world do ya think really understand themselves?"

Tifa winced some, in Clouds case, he wouldn't even know where to begin…

"People get depressed in life because they don't know what's up. But, they go on living. They don't run away… Isn't that how it is?" Barrett turned leaving the room, but now without tossing the innkeeper a few coins for any damages.

Tifa sighed, Barrett was right, there was no running away, however she couldn't just confide just yet, "Cloud… You'll come with us, right? I believe in you…" Tifa moved and left the inn to find Barrett staring intently at the door she just left.

"Jes wait a min Tifa… Give him a little time; he has to decide this on his own. You believe in Cloud right?"

Tifa nodded and the two of them waited in silence. Not long after Cloud walked out of the inn. He still looked afraid. He looked to Barrett, then Tifa before letting out the breath he held.

Barrett grinned, "Hey, how are you? I jes wanna know, which is it gonna be? You wanna find out about yourself? Or are you afraid to find out? Either way, you stay around here and about all you can do is worry about it. Even if you do go nuts again when you see Sephiroth… if it happens, it happens. I'll go upside your spiky white head and bring you back to normal!"

Tifa giggled to Barrett, she smiled to Cloud, perhaps he could discover himself on his own, "Cloud, it'll be alright. We're all with you.

"But-" Cloud doubted himself.

"If it happens, it happens. Don't worry 'bout it." Barrett reassured.

"You're… you're right." Cloud smiled, however it slipped. Cloud looked to Tifa, "He's right, isn't he?"

Tifa giggled more and grabbed Cloud's hand pulling him to where the group was camped. "Come on, let's go and find Aeris."

Cloud nodded and ran with Tifa, Barrett trailed behind them.

They reached the campsite to see Vincent and Cid taking the tents down. Yuffie passed out again, resting her head on an anxious Red. Most likely the lion wanted to help pack but was pinned. Cait was putting out the fire used to keep the group warm at night.

Tifa's eyes met Vincent's… she quickly released Clouds hand however he had noticed beforehand. Vincent turned his back to the arrived party, continuing to work.

"Hey! You back to normal or still crazy?" Cid bluntly spoke out.

Cloud shook his head, "I am here."

"Good, cause that ^$ # freaked me out…" He shivered some. "So where's flower girl?"

"She's at the city of the Ancients." Cloud informed the group.

"They have a City?" Cait jumped surprised.

Yuffie had now woken up and was listening.

"City of the Ancients…" Red thought.

"You know about it?" Cloud asked.

"If I am not mistaken, it is not too far… from what grandpa told me it is not far from the temple of the ancients."

Cloud smiled, "Then let's mosey to the Tiny Bronco!"

The most of the group cheered, moving to pack faster. Yuffie however groaned and did her best to slow everyone down.

Boarding the Tiny Bronco, Tifa took a seat near the middle, she figured if Yuffie sprawled out like she normally did, she would have a good chance to sit next to Vincent. Looking to the shoreline she could see Cloud and Vincent talking.

Cloud seemed happier, he patted the cloaked man on the back and they boarded. Cloud took control of the steering while Cid rowed. Vincent indeed had sat next to Tifa. Her chest swelled with happiness, he however didn't show the same reaction.

"So…" she whispered, "What did you and Cloud talk about?"

"He just wanted and update on my progress of controlling Galian… I nearly have full control." He answered

"Oh…" Tifa looked to her feet, "So… uh…" Tifa was lost, not knowing how to start conversation.

"Tifa…" Vincent looked to the fighter; the sound of his voice had let Tifa know that he wasn't interested.

"Vincent." She pursed her lips together giving him a small glare, "I just want to make sure you are well… after all you are my friend." She smiled hoping that he would drop whatever he was going to tell her.

Vincent let out a small chuckle, "…I am well."

"Good… I think my nightmares are going to be put at rest…" Tifa chuckled with Vincent.

"Is that so?" He looked out to the sea.

"Yeah…" She followed his gaze to look out to the water. She had to admit, to think of Vincent touching her as such in the dream made her insides burn with desire. She quickly shook the thoughts from her head. "So the city of the Ancients… you don't think it will be as puzzle filled or have deadly dragons and walls like the temple do you?"

Vincent thought on it some, he shook his head to Tifa, "We can only hope not… seeing as how Aeris went there alone."

Tifa bit her lip nodding, "Yeah… I hope she is alright."

They reached the shore, they were on the same island as the temple of the ancients, however mountains had split the island in two, they found a village made of large bones not far from shore. There excavators gently dug at the ground.

"Huh…" Cloud looked to the small mass of huddled men, "Let's ask around... Town is small enough so let's just stick together.

They nodded and followed Cloud; Mog was left outside the village limits. The mechanical toy was much too big to be bounding around the delicate area. Yuffie carried the smaller stuffed toy in her arms. Tifa thought she looked like a small girl doing so. Yuffie however didn't like the idea of being a girl.

Cloud approached the local inn, he was a happy looking man covered in dirt. He let out a small, his white teeth contrasting, "Welcome to Bone Village, a town for nature lovers. What can I do for you?" he lent out his hand.

Cloud took it and was given a good shake. Once released he wiped his hands on his black uniform, dirt wiping off and coloring his clean clothes, "Uh… I was looking for the City of the Ancients..."

"City of the Ancients?" the excavator thought some, "Oh! You must mean the forgotten city."

"Then you must know where Aeris is" Cloud smiled. "A woman in pink, did she come through here?"

"That girl? I warned her but she went into the sleeping forest..."

"Sleeping Forest?" Cloud looked confused.

"Yeah, it's the forest just beyond here. Right now the forest is asleep, and anyone who wanders in while it's asleep, it confuses. You can go in but you may never come out."

"How do we get to the city then?" Yuffie huffed.

"You need to wake it up. You can awaken the sleeping forest if you had the lunar harp."

"Do you think Aeris is alright? If the forest was asleep does that mean she is lost?" Tifa asked Cloud.

"Nah, the girl in pink that just went in also used a lunar harp to get through."

Everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "Then… I want a lunar harp." Cloud stated.

"You go and ask that guy in the tent… He's Richard, the head excavator. He will help you out." The excavator grinned some.

Cloud went with Barrett to talk to Richard while everyone else rested in the inn. Tifa stretched before taking two handfuls of beer from the bar and passed it around their table. "Drink up, seems like this will be our last drink for a while."

"Aw Tifa you are so sweet" Cid lifted his mug in thanks, "Now how about you give a kiss on the cheek for good luck." The pilot grinned.

Tifa shook her head with a sigh. She smelt her drink and found it to be a decent quality. She lowered it to her lips and begun to drink. The beer had a good flavor to it, it had surprised her.

"I bet if I was vampire here I would get one." Cid grinned wickedly.

Tifa spit out her drink in surprise, getting Cait sprayed with beer. Tifa coughed hard trying to catch her breath.

Cid, Yuffie and Red all let out a laugh. Vincent however didn't seem to amused, he continued to drink.

"You guys, stop that! It's not like that with us." Tifa reddened in the face.

"Right, right." Cid rolled his eyes, "Then it wouldn't be a problem for you to give me a kiss. Just a friendly one." Cid winked.

Tifa groaned and got up to move to the pilot. She could see out of her peripheral vision that Vincent was now watching her. Tifa took the short steps and leaned over to kiss Cid's cheek, he however turned his face to plant a wet one on Tifa's lips.

"Ack!" Tifa's arms flailed out, Cid had grabbed the back of her head holding her in place.

Yuffie busted out laughing as well as Red. Cait fell off the table at the act.

A growl broke through the laughter. Tifa glanced over to see Vincent's hardened gaze upon her.

The fighter managed to pull back before anyone took notice. She wiped her mouth with the back of her left hand while the right slapped Cid in the face.

Cid rubbed his cheek with a grin, "Ahhh… it was worth it."

"Never again!" Tifa threatened, her cheeks red from embarrassment.

Yuffie calmed down and looked over at Vincent, "Ah… that was too funny right?"

Vincent finished his beer and placed the mug on the table, getting up he fixed his cloak, "Hilarious…" he sternly spoke turning and leaving the inn.

"Man, what is up with Darky there, he always seems to cast this depressing shadow on the group." Cid finished off his beer.

"Perhaps it is best we not tease him with jokes." Red scratched at his ear.

Tifa gathered up the mugs, she reached for Vincent's mug and grabbed its handle. It crumbled, leaving the glass cup part of the mug still on the table.

"You have some strength there lassy" Cait had observed the action.

Tifa thought quickly, she didn't do this, however she needed to be smooth about it. "Ah… Cid... this is why you don't piss me off."

Cid paled some, "Eck!" Cid fixed his jacket before cautiously handing his mug over to Tifa.

Tifa took it and made her way back to the bar. She looked again to Vincent's broken mug and sighed. "For someone who wants to push me away, he sure doesn't show that he's trying that hard."

The excavators had found a lunar harp for Cloud. He stood at the entrance of the sleeping forest. Cloud held the harp out expecting it to play itself. Tifa laughed some while Yuffie rolled her eyes.

"Oh gawd… give it here." She snatched the harp from Cloud and begun to gently pluck and strum a tune.

The forest which had a deep blue hue to it suddenly begun to brighten. Birds begun to chirp and butterflies, dragonflies and bee's begun to fly about. Tifa smiled closing her eyes, enjoying Yuffie's playing, however the ninja's whine had pulled her out of it.

"How long do I have to play for?" she groaned.

"I believe you may stop, your playing has awoken the forest…" Red looked around curiously.

"Nya, so amazing!" Cait reached over to pluck a string, however Yuffie held it away sticking her tongue out.

"Come on, the more we play around the more chance Aeris could get hurt" Barrett took the harp from Yuffie's grasp and placed it into his pack.

Tifa smiled to Barrett as Cloud agreed they begun to make their way through the sleeping forest.

It was a beautiful peaceful area, hardly any monsters. They most likely avoided the area due to its maze like state.

After making quick work of following a small worn out path, they discovered the forgotten city… the city of the ancients.

Cloud sprinted on ahead, Tifa followed, to her right Vincent kept pace. She glanced to him confused; he had the ability to move faster, so why keep pace with her and not scout ahead like he normally would have.

To her left Red and Yuffie ran. Cid cursed as Barrett flew by the pilot. Cait pulled the rear.

Out of breath they've entered the city; Cloud glanced around noticing three paths they would be able to take.

"We need to split up." Cloud looked the group over.

"Tifa, Barrett… You two check out the right path. Cid, you Yuffie and Red will take the left, and Vincent, Cait and I will take the center."

The group nodded. Tifa glanced over at Vincent however he didn't meet her eyes. Tifa groaned some ignoring the caped man, 'so it's going to be like this again…'. She motioned for Barrett to follow. They arrive at what appeared to be a housing area.

"Look at all these shells… turned into houses." Barrett stood in wonder.

Tifa nodded in agreement.

They searched through each house, trying to find the woman in pink, however she could not be found. Tifa's PHS had suddenly begun to ring. A musical tone of victory rung out, Tifa answered, "Hello?"

"Tifa, its Cloud… did you find anything?"

Tifa shook her head; she had a bad habit of talking with her body more while on the phone, "No… I take it you didn't either?"

"No… Cid's group didn't even find anything… Not a trace of her…" Cloud sighed.

"We will find her Cloud… Listen there are a lot of houses here, one even has quite a few beds… why don't you all meet us here and we can take a break."

"Right… sounds good Teef, we will be there shortly." Cloud hung up.

Tifa looked to Barrett, "Let's go to that house with the beds in it, we are going to take a break."

Barrett nodded and begun to move. Tifa turned before leaving; she rubbed her arms feeling a strange chill. Shrugging it off, she followed her friend.

"How Cool! I can't believe we found such a soft bed in a dive like this!" Yuffie hugged her bed for the night. It was indeed soft, like it was made out of the finest chocobo feathers.

"I'm tired… this rest will do me well." Red jumped up onto a bed. He circled several times before plopping down.

Tifa smiled to the group as they got comfortable. Cloud climbed into bed without saying a word to anyone. Tifa could easily tell that he was upset… or was he scared? Not feeling at all tired, Tifa decided to sit outside. It was a perfect night… Not a cloud in the sky, and the temperature just right.

"Tifa…" A deep voice spoke out.

Tifa turned to the door to find Vincent, "Oh, hey..." She smiled

He nodded and moved to sit a small ways from her.

Tifa hugged her legs, she smiled widely at the fact that he was with her, and yet she felt some pain. He continued to play with her emotions… or could it be he couldn't control his own.

"So how is it going with Galian?" Tifa asked again.

"There has been little change since the last you asked me." He replied back staring off to the distance.

"Oh…" Tifa huffed some.

Tifa turned to look off to where Vincent was. She couldn't take the silence though, she turned back to face him, to ask him about their chances of finding Aeris when her lips were suddenly taken by his.

He hummed into the kiss, savoring the feeling. His soft cool lips tenderly pressed into her own warm full ones. Tifa's eyes fell closed after the shock. She moaned at the forbidden touch and invited him to deepen the kiss; however he pulled away, once more looking back off as if nothing happened. Tifa sat there confused and red in the face; it wasn't until she heard a soft click followed by a creaking swing.

Tifa turned at the sound of a door opening and closing, she found Cloud looking anxious.

"Cloud? What's wrong?" she got up praying to Gaia that the darkness of the night would hide her flush face. Vincent had done the same.

"Aeris is here… and so is Sephiroth."

Tifa felt her heart drop some, "You're saying it's not just Aeris, but Sephiroth too?"

"How did you find that out?" Vincent had gotten up and moved closer to the both of them.

Cloud shook his head looking down, "I can just feel it… I feel it in my soul."

"If that true… then we've got to hurry. We've got to get Aeris!" Tifa felt fear for her friend.

"Right, let's hurry and find Aeris." Cloud agreed.

He ran off ahead, following his feelings. Tifa and Vincent followed not too far behind. They moved down the center path Cloud had taken before and reached a large coral palace. In front of it was an equally large lake, gently lit with floating candles.

"We have searched here before…" Vincent told Cloud.

Cloud shook his head moving inside. Vincent moved first and stood amazed at a newly appeared stairwell. They all carefully made their way down. Tifa gasped in shock of the beauty before her, the steps continued on as if they were flying; below them was a city. It was stunning; a gentle blue glow consumed the city, lamps gently lit the area.

"I can hear her, her voice is getting louder." Cloud closed his eyes a moment before continuing.

They noticed a large decorated gazebo in the center; it appeared to be a sacred place for the Ancients to pray or meditate… in the middle of the open building knelt a woman dressed in pink, her hands together in prayer.

"Aeris?" Cloud whispered.

They had finally reached the bottom, the gazebo where Aeris was at was surrounded by water, and the only way to get to her was to jump on stepping stones. Cloud moved first, he jumped the first set. Tifa moved to follow however Cloud turned raising his hand to her.

Tifa jumped back and folded her arms, she was anxious to know what Aeris was doing here. She stood next to Vincent and watched Cloud approach. They notice him drawing his sword and raising it high to strike Aeris down.

"CLOUD!"

"STOP IT!"

They both yelled to Cloud. Cloud dropped his weapon stepping back holding his head.

"Ugh… what are you making me do?" He spoke out.

Aeris gracefully raised her head, she smiled to Cloud happily. Tifa's eyes widened in horror, Sephiroth jumped down from nearby, his sword drawn. He fell into the Gazebo, impaling Aeris. The color in Tifa's face left her, her hands went numb and she had forgotten how to breathe. Sephiroth slowly pulled out his Masamune. Aeris knelt in place, a ribbon from her hair fell out, and down bounced what appeared to be a materia. It bounced down the stairs, the sound of glass ringing through the silent city before falling into the water. Cloud quickly caught Aeris before she fell to the ground, her eyes shut, and a smile still graced her lips.

He turned cradling her, "Aeris…" Cloud gently shook Aeris, to get some life into her so that they could heal her, even use a Phoenix down, however she was lifeless.

"This can't be real..." Cloud spoke the words that mirrored Tifa's mind.

Sephiroth raised his arms looking to the light above him, "Do not worry. Soon the girl will become part of the Planet's energy. All that is left is to go north. The Promised Land waits for me over snowy fields. There, I will become a new being by uniting with the planet. As will this girl-"

"Shut up!" Cloud yelled out, "The cycle of nature and your stupid plan don't mean a thing…" Cloud clung to Aeris, his voice cracking some, "Aeris is gone. Aeris will no longer talk, no longer laugh, cry…. Or get angry…" he gently placed her down and turned to the silver haired man, "What about us? What are we supposed to do? What about my pain?" Cloud chocked back a sob, "My fingers are tingling, my mouth is dry… My eyes are burning!"

Sephiroth lowered his arms looking amused to Cloud, "What are you saying? Are you trying to tell me that you have feelings too?" he mocked.

"Of course I do! Who do you think I am?" Cloud yelled at Sephiroth.

Sephiroth let out a laugh, "Stop acting as if you were sad… There's no need to act as though you're angry either." Sephiroth gently lifted to hover off of the ground. He grinned at Cloud, "And that is because Cloud, you are…" he shot up high, exiting the underground city.

A grey blob fell behind Tifa and Vincent. Tifa wiped the tears away from her face turning to find the blob morphing into a large mass with several snake like tendrils… It was Jenova.

"Cloud!" Vincent called out.

Cloud jumped down with his weapon in hand. He ran up to Jenova and begun to furiously attack. Vincent drew his weapon and had begun to fire. The sound of gunfire and sword strikes rung throughout the city.

Tifa blinked back the tears; she charged Jenova and landed a large series of attacks. She continued to push through the pain in her fists, the pain in her chest. She needed to get out her anger.

Aeris…

Tifa remembered that lovely field of flowers. Aeris looked so happy, so happy to save Tifa from her nightmares… back at Gongaga, she had been embraced by her… in turn she embraced the woman in pink.

Aeris…

The woman had shown love for Cloud, and she had been jealous… she fought the ugly green monster and accepted the both of them…

Aeris…

Tifa couldn't count how many times Aeris, Yuffie and herself would stay up late, playing card games and talking about the boys… She managed to tease Aeris a few times before her and Cloud went steady… what would happen now? How will the ninja girl cope? How would she herself cope without knowing that her sister-like friend would no longer be by her side?

Gaia why Aeris…

No matter the situation… she would always smile, always laugh… always find a way to cheer everyone else up before taking care of herself.

"Aeris!" Tifa screamed sending her fist into Jenova.

The monster recoiled its attack. Vincent and Cloud both were out of breath and bloodied. Tifa looked to the both of them, tears flooding her eyes. Aeris would have had them healed and ready for more fighting… She looked down to her belt and pulled out her precious Cure2 materia, a gift she would now treasure forever… She let the green glow surround her before casting the magic on the both of them. She had begun to release the magic when Jenova moved to attack her. A spear came down on the tendril; Cid soon followed pulling the weapon from the monster. Jumping off, he landed guarding the three.

"You all have some %#^! nerve to run off without the rest of us" he cursed

"Cid!" Cloud yelled out pointing behind him.

Jenova was moving to cast a spell on the pilot, however she was quickly stopped; Yuffie's weapon flew out of the darkness striking Jenova's face.

The monster shrieked out in pain and hunched over. Red jumped onto Jenova clawing and biting furiously.

Cait jumped in and landed next to Tifa, "I shall take care of these laddy's, you go fight." He smiled.

Tifa nodded looked over to see Barrett firing an array of bullets, each one however didn't seem to have much effect. "Barrett! Cast your materia!" Tifa yelled out.

He nodded doing so as Tifa ran up to the monster continuing to slam her fist and feet against its flesh. She could feel the mass soften, the skin beginning to give under her fists.

Cloud let out a yell; he jumped up to the monsters face and swung his heavy blade beheading the creature.

The monster disintegrating like it had before on the ship to Costa del Sol. All that was left behind was another arm.

Cloud landed swinging his blade cleaning it of the blood Jenova had left behind. Cloud looked to the arm seemingly to be entranced, however it soon passed, he shook his head clearing of any thoughts and moved back to where Aeris laid.

The group was quiet, Tifa knew Barrett would have made some remark about Jenova being a huge ugly monster, but none came. The air felt heavy with dread.

They all made their way into the gazebo, looking down at Aeris. She was placed to lean against the wall, her eyes closed as if she was asleep. The small smile still graced her lips.

Barrett moved first, he shook his head, his face showing so much pain, he moved to Cloud placing his human hand on the blondes shoulder before leaving.

Red soon followed after whispering a gentle prayer.

Yuffie couldn't hold it in any longer, she tried to be brave, she tried to walk it off, but she ran to Cloud. He accepted her embrace, returning it as she cried. Cait took this moment to sigh and move on, not quite sure how to handle the situation.

Yuffie had finally calmed down, wiping the tears from her eyes she ran out.

Tifa's chest felt heavy, her eyes burned; tears threatening to fall from them. She swallowed hard before kneeling next to the woman. Tifa reached out with shaky hands, placing a stray golden brown hair of Aeris behind her ear. Her fingers gently brushed the flower girl's cheek. It still had some warmth in it. The tears forced their way out, streaming down the fighters cheek. Tifa tried to hold back a sob, but failed. Bringing her hands to hide her face she jumped up to her feet running out of the gazebo. Tifa forced herself to run up the floating steps and out of the underground area and out of the palace. She tripped, skinning her knees in the process. Tifa stayed close to the ground, continuing to weep for the loss of her friend.

"Why her… why?" Tifa cried out.

Tifa wiped her eyes looking up to see Vincent standing before her, next to him, Cid whose back was turned on them.

Tifa jumped to her feet and into Vincent's arms, she continued to cry, letting loose her emotions. She could feel Vincent gently brush her hair with his claw, the other hand held the small of her back.

Tifa stayed in his arms until Cloud appeared. She turned wiping her face to see the swordsman carrying Aeris bridal style. He slowly entered the lake in front of the palace, the water gently rippled, the candles flickering as they moved. Cloud had stopped just short of an abyss spot. He placed Aeris carefully in and leaned in close, his lips gently touching her brow. He stepped back and Aeris was gently embraced by the water, floating down into the darkness.

Tifa turned away from the scene, slowing moving past a crying Yuffie, holding onto Cait, and howling Red. Barrett too was on his way back along with Cid and Vincent. The pilot had offered Vincent a drink from his flask and he took it thankfully. After handing it back, he offered the flask to Tifa. She looked at it and hesitantly took it, yielding she took a swig. The burn felt good… it eased her pain some. She took another sip before handing it back to Cid, thanking him.

Barrett had set up a fire just outside of the home they were residing in. The four of them took a seat around it, quiet and in mourning.

"To the flower girl!" Cid raised his flask and took a long drink passing the nearly empty container to Barrett.

The large man just shook his head however offering it to Vincent. Vincent nodded and took the last drink.

"I think I may still have some whiskey left…" Tifa moved to grab her bag.

"You are sweet Teef." Cid smiled to the fighter.

She entered the room and moved to her bed. Digging through her bag Tifa noticed the half empty bottle along with a slightly crushed flower. Tifa pulled the pink wild flower from her bag and looked at it with awe, the tears that she had thought to have run out seeped free. The fighter quickly wiped her face clean and turned fast with bottle and flower in hand. She made her way back down and tossed the booze to a grateful Cid. Tifa noticed that the others had joined in. Yuffie was still crying clinging to Cait, Cloud was trying to sooth the girl. Red sat between Barrett and Vincent.

With shaky legs Tifa completed the circle, sitting between Yuffie and Cid.

None of them spoke for what seemed to feel like hours. The lion creature was the first to break the silence.

"Her death will not be in vain… Cloud, it is best that we relive the happy moments with Aeris." Red glanced from the flames of the campfire to the blonde swordsman.

Cloud gently rubbed Yuffie's back, he sighed with a nod however couldn't find the words.

"Aeris… She didn't seem to be a part of this world…" Tifa thought, "She was kind, beautiful, graceful… The type of woman every girl hopes to become one day." A smile softly pulled at her lips, "She was also playful… she didn't have as many funny jokes as Yuffie… but when she did get one…" Tifa quieted, the pain of loss growing too much for her to continue.

Cid nodded, "I didn't know that woman too long, but I can tell there was something different about that one…" he took a drink. "Too polite for my likings but eh…"

"She would put others before herself… Like moments ago… she was praying for the safety of the planet… She knew the risks and yet…" Red frowned laying his head down on top of his paws. "I am blessed to have known her."

"She was a Cetra… I will say I regret Shinra having to go after her…" Cait managed to squeeze out of Yuffie's grasp. "I have learned so much about her… Even though I pulled those dirty tricks on you guys… she always told me to be strong… and to keep my head up…"

"She was the last of the Cetra… Her spirit will flow within the planet, and I do not doubt that a part of her would continue to linger within each and every one of us." Vincent added.

"She took risks… taking care of Marlene and putting her own family in danger… for me, a complete stranger!" Barrett yanked the bottle of whiskey away from Cid to take a drink.

All eyes turned to Cloud; he however stopped rubbing Yuffie's back and got up moving into the house.

Tifa felt sorry for her friend. He loved Aeris more than anyone else her could know. He suffered a loss, and he will never forget it. Tifa hoped that Cloud would get his revenge.

"Poor guy…" Cait jumped back into Yuffie's arms, he brought a napkin to her dripping nose.

The ninja girl continued to cry however no more tears fell.

Tifa shifted closer to the girl embracing her, "It's all right…"

"How can you all be so collective about death?" Yuffie sobbed. "It hurts so much."

"I know… it's ok… all of us feel it… It's just that we all have a different way of showing it." Tifa smiled softly, "I know that someday… Gaia will allow me to see her again… in my dreams, in the afterlife… I don't know. But I do know that we will never be parted… the two of us will remain friends forever." Tifa did her best to remain strong, she took the small pink flower and offered it to Yuffie.

Yuffie smiled some nodding, taking the flower and had it spin in her fingertips, "Y-yeah… I hope I get to see her again too…"

Tifa gave the ninja another embrace before she sent her off to bed. Tifa wiped a few stray tears before turning her attention to the fire.

"Poor kid… you know we go through all this fighting and stuff… we don't think about what will happen if one of us gets hurt bad… or even killed." Barrett sighed.

Cid nodded, "I am amazed you're out here… don't you have a girl?"

Barrett nodded, "Yeah… but I gotta keep fighting. She's gotta have a future."

"It is best that we turn in… I don't think Sephiroth has stuck around." Red got up moving inside the house.

Tifa nodded and also got up. She moved to her bed, the last one in the row. Climbing in, she sighed as the mattress contoured to her body. Tifa closed her eyes however sleep did not come to her. She sighed again closing her eyes tighter to try and fall asleep. She heard the others enter and climb into their beds, quickly falling asleep. Tifa looked around the dark room, only able to see the dark figures resting peacefully. One figure got up and sat on the side of their bed. She watched as it moved closer to her and past her bed. Tifa felt her heart beat heavy as the figure climbed into her bed, wrapping an arm around her. Tifa sighed some relaxed, welcoming the warmth of the figure spooning her.

"Rest well… Tifa…" Vincent voice whispered to her.

Tifa nodded, closing her eyes and finally falling into a peaceful sleep.


	23. Bitter Cold & Sephiroth's Puppet Awakens

Happy Weekend once again ^^

First to my devoted reviews…

**Numinous-Alqua:** Right? Finally . I love retelling this story in its different point of view… I can't tell you how many of my friends I made play this, to have stopped at Aeris's death. And I hope this chapter does please you and boot the memory.

**Varna:** It was very painful to write and extremely painful to re-read… I listened to Aeris's theme piano collection while writing and oh my goodness was it difficult. XD

**Lucian87: **I am happy that you liked my story ^^ Thank you so much for your kind words.

I found this chapter very hard to put an end on… _ ;; so it's extra-long, however I doubt that you mind that.

Thank you to all my readers, it makes me put in extra effort when I see how many read, favorite/alert. ^^ I hope that I do not disappoint. Please feel free to leave me any comments.

Thank you again and enjoy,  
Miss Ti

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Tifa awoke and reached next to her, trying to find Vincent whom had slept next to her that night, however he was not there. She sat up looking to the others and found them all packing. The caped man was not in the house at all.

Tifa moved quickly and slung her bag over her shoulder leaving just as Red moved out. There she found the gunman leaning against the building cleaning his weapon. He briefly looked up, making eye contact with Tifa before resuming.

Tifa smiled inwardly and moved to take a small look at her surroundings. Everyone soon surrounded Cloud, he looked to each and every one of them, his eyes had dark rings around them, he didn't get a restful sleep.

"Everyone, listen to me… I'm Cloud, ex-SOLDIER, born in Nibelheim. I came to settle up with Sephiroth."

"Hm?" Red looked confused at the blonde.

Yuffie rubbed her swollen eyes also confused.

"I came here by my own free will… Or so I thought. However… To tell you the truth, I'm afraid of myself." Cloud looked to each and every one of them. "There is a part of me that I don't understand. That part that made me give the Black Materia to Sephiroth." Cloud looked to Cid, "If you hadn't stopped me… Aeris might have been…"

Everyone's eyes moved to the ground, her death still too near, paining all.

"There's something inside of me. A person who is not really me."

Tifa's eyes met with Clouds. He was slowing knowing that something wasn't right.

"That's why I should quit this journey… before I do something terrible."

Yuffie and Cid were about to protest, however Cloud stopped them, "But I am going. He destroyed my hometown five years ago… Killed Aeris, and now he is trying to destroy the planet. I'll never forgive him… Sephiroth. I must go on…"

Cloud moved up a path that would lead him north, he turned and faced the group, "I have a favor to ask of you… Will you come with me? To save me from doing something terrible?"

Barrett scratched the back of his head, he looked very uncomfortable, "I dunno man."

"Cloud…" Tifa was still in some pain from Aeris death… Cloud knew he wasn't all there and now he was asking them to stop him from losing control…

Red stepped up, nodding, "All right Cloud."

Yuffie smiled jumping up, her perkiness reborn, "Leave it to me!"

Cloud smiled to the group, it soon faded, "I don't know how Aeris tried to save the planet from the meteor… and I guess now, we'll never know. But, we still have a chance. We must get that black materia back before Sephiroth uses it. Let's go" Cloud turned and spoke aloud, "Head north… past the Snow Fields."

They marched off, determined to leave behind the pain of loss, instead the bitter cold of the northern region seemed to dampen their moods more. Tifa rubbed her arms warming herself up, Yuffie had done the same. She decided to hop onto Red's back and embrace the creature, allowing his fur to warm her.

Barrett let out a laugh to the small girl.

"Hey Teef, if you are looking for some warmth, I can help ya out" Cid winked.

Tifa rolled her eyes some before looking to the land before her. It was completely white; everything was covered in a beautiful blanket of snow.

"It's way too cold!" Yuffie shivered.

"It's not that bad…" Cait grinned.

"Only because you're in an office all warm and comfy!" Yuffie yelled back at the toy.

"Jeeze, I'd hate to be one of you ladies… even in jes a vest I'm feeling it." Barrett rubbed his mechanical gun arm. "This is biting the hell outta my skin."

"We are almost at a village…" Cloud spoke back.

Tifa let out a sigh of relieve. She quickened her pace to keep herself warm.

They stopped at a small town, completely covered in snow. Tifa moved and pulled Yuffie off of Red before turning to Cloud. "We are going to get some clothes!" Tifa trudged through the snow, her boots and socks wet.

"Uh, alright… do you need some extra gil?" Cloud moved to go through his bag.

"Ah…" Tifa stopped, never before had Cloud offered anyone. "I… sure… I guess." Tifa took the small bag offered to her. "Thanks" She flushed some, however she hoped her already rosy cheeks and nose from the cold hid it.

Tifa was pulled by Yuffie into the winter clothing store. There the two quickly found some thick black leggings, and waterproof boots, thick socks and a winter jacket. Tifa also picked out a scarf for Barrett, Red, Cid and Cloud. She doubted Vincent would want one see as how he has a cloak. Exiting the store, the two of them felt more at ease to travel through the tough conditions. They met back up with the group where Tifa distributed the scarves. She glanced over at Vincent and noticed that he looked to her with eager eyes. When she crumpled the small bag to place in her backpack his face seemed to frown. Tifa turned facing away from Vincent feeling horrible. Just what was going on in his busy head?

"What? No scarf for Darky here?" Cid wrapped the scarf around his neck.

"Well… I figured that he was warm under that cloak… so…" She scratched her neck some.

"Let's split up and see if we can find out anything…" Cloud finished adjusting his scarf, "Cid and Vincent, you two are with me. Tifa, you and Yuffie see what you can find out in the weapons shop; also see if there are any upgrades."

"-If I may interject…" Vincent spoke up. "Perhaps it is best that I go with Tifa and Yuffie… After all I doubt they know the caliber of weapons I use and also what type of munitions Barrett and I use."

Cloud narrowed his eyes some on Vincent, "Fine… Go. Cid, you are with me. Red, Cait, and Barrett, you both see if you can find a map.

Tifa nodded and moved to enter the weapon shop.

Yuffie groaned entering the dank dark shop. The owner rocked back and forth on a rocking chair softly snoring. A small girl bounded up waking her guardian. "Grandpa, wake up! We have a customer!"

The owner smacked his lips together before taking notice of the three, "Ah… welcome. Please let me know if there is anything I can get for you."

Tifa nodded in thanks and moved to look at different fighting gloves. Yuffie took a moment to look at the spears and staves on the other side of the room.

Vincent stepped up next to Tifa, "Am I to expect a present from you later precious?"

Tifa glanced over at the yellow tainted red orbs. "No Galian… not until you and Vincent can get over this… this crazy act." Tifa whispered.

"Crazy act?" He raised a brow picking up some bullets.

"Yes… You can hear and see everything that goes on when you are inside of Vincent… I told him I will not be played with."

Galian chuckled some, "I don't play the game he does… that mixed emotional wreck doesn't deserve you."

"Enough Galian…" Tifa shook her head, trying to lose his words that had burrowed into her mind.

"I can give you everything you desire… allow me to take you to a place beyond ecstasy." Galian purred into her ear.

Tifa closed her eyes swinging to face Galian, her hand open she smacked him in the face.

Full red eyes looked surprised. Tifa immediately brought a hand to her mouth.

"Oh Gaia… Vincent…" Tifa stood wide eyed.

Vincent brought a gloved hand up to his cheek and rubbed the reddened area. "I suppose he deserved that…" He sighed some. Looking down at Tifa, his eyes seemed to show some happiness, "I am glad that you are so firm with him. It ensure me that if he doesn't stay in control, you will be safe."

Tifa smiled some, looking around she noticed Yuffie paying for some weapons, "Vincent… that was you last night… and not Galian right" She quietly asked.

Vincent didn't answer, however Tifa could see him look off, if he could blush, she was sure he would have.

Tifa smiled with a giggle and took the ammo Vincent had in his hand. She moved and paid for the items.

Walking out of the weapons shop all together they heard a woman scream. Two Shinra soldiers ran past them.

"Ma'am!" one yelled out.

"Elena!" the other followed.

Tifa looked over to the direction they ran along with Yuffie. Cloud stood off to the side, his hands on his hips looking confused.

The entire group ran over questioning Cloud with their eyes.

He simply shrugged, "She was going to hit me, so I dodged… It is icy here… she slid down the hill." He smirked.

Cid let out a huge laugh along with Barrett.

Tifa even had a giggle.

"There is this steep hill we need to get down. Sephiroth is in a place called the northern crater..." Cloud informed his group.

"Are you serious?" Red looked worried. "To get there… it's too dangerous."

"Whadda mean? What's so dangerous about it?" Yuffie asked.

"First… we need to snowboard down this hill… then cross a frozen lake, then climb up this mountain with subzero temperatures." Cait pointed out on the map.

"Ugh… for once I really hoped that we could ride on one of those airships we saw way back at Junon." Yuffie groaned.

"We just have to make due… I got everyone a snowboard, get hooked in. We will travel in groups of two, one group will have three.

"Should we jes keep the same groups?" Barrett asked.

Cloud looked over at Vincent, "… yeah… I trust you won't try anything."

Vincent nodded, making quick work of the straps.

Yuffie jumped up and down in excitement. "This part of travel is just like that game in gold saucer; oh this is going to be fun!"

Tifa took a breath and watched as Barrett picked up Red, slinging him over his shoulder, he took off with Cait down the hill at an incredible speed. Cloud and Cid followed not long after.

"Let's go." Vincent spoke to the two girls. They nodded pushing off.

Tifa could feel the snow hit against her face. She bent her knees and jumped a small hill catching some air. With a smile and new found confidence on the snowboard, she cheered.

She could easily spot Vincent's red cloak not too far ahead of her. Up further was Yuffie's green jacket. She crouched some gaining speed to catch up.

"Go right!" Vincent yelled to the two of them.

Tifa drifted right however Yuffie was in the lead and couldn't hear, she drifted left. Vincent turned quick and followed the ninja left. Tifa felt her heart drop; she tried to move herself but couldn't make it in time. "Vincent!" She yelled out.

Her legs felt weak, and her mind bustled with thoughts. Where would she end up? How would she make it back to the others?

She continued to board down the mountain, the snow blinding her of what was ahead. She felt a drop; she gained so much speed. Tifa shook nervous of what was ahead. She finally saw a ramp at the end. She froze in fear and flew into the air. Tifa screamed as she continued up, and up. It wasn't until she felt the weightlessness of falling that she closed her eyes and braced for a rough landing.

It never came to her. She instead felt something grab her back. There was a loud flapping sound. Tifa turned to see what had her, if it was a bird it would no doubt take her to a nest. The snow had picked up however; she wasn't able to make the figure out… All she could see was the shadow of a horned beast with wild hair and monstrous wings.

Tifa couldn't breathe, she felt lightheaded as they climbed up… the harsh wind making it difficult to breathe. With Tifa's heart pumping as fast as it was, she soon passed out.

"Tifa! Tifa wake up!" Yuffie shook the fighter.

"Ah… what?" Tifa sat up a bit too fast; she fell back into the snow dizzy.

"Careful, we had a pretty rough landing…" Yuffie smiled to her friend.

"Is everyone alright?" Cloud called out.

Cloud? Wait how did Tifa even get to the others? Was that all a dream? Did she pass out while snowboarding? "Yeah… Somehow" Tifa called out

"Of course" Barrett tossed his board to the side.

"I got snow in my ear" Red shook his head.

"Damn, I can't be doing this…" Cid held his back.

Cloud moved over to Vincent, the gunman was looking over the map. "So where did we land? We've jumped pretty far."

"It appears that we are in this general area…" Vincent pointed out to Cloud.

The swordsman nodded; taking the map in hand he looked around. "It sure is cold… We'll freeze if we stay here any longer. Let's go."

They traveled for hours, all their clothing was wet and their skin cold. Tifa shivered taking shaky breaths. "Cloud… h-h-h-how much… f-f-f-further?" she used her numb fingers to wipe snow from her face.

Cloud shook cold too, he looked to the map but a harsh wind ripped it out of his numb grasp and flew off. Vincent ran after it trying to get it however it ascended up into the sky.

"D-d-damn it!" Cid cursed with a sneeze.

"C-c-cloud..." Yuffie spoke out weakly.

"Hang in there…" Cloud sniffed. "Stay close! Stay awake!"

Tifa tried to move however her legs were frozen. She fell into the snow; she started to see diamonds dance.

"Tifa!" Cloud called out.

"It's alright Cloud" Tifa spoke deliriously. "It's alright." Her voice was no more than a whisper.

"Cid! Red!" Cloud then yelled.

Tifa figured they had also collapsed. She slowly begun to shut her eyes, allowing her mind to shut down and rest.

She opened her eyes to see a large field of flowers…

"Aeris?" Tifa got up looking around confused.

This was the same field of flowers that she had been to in her dreams. Tifa sprinted off trying to find the woman in pink however she was not there. The fighter had felt the tears begin to fall.

"Don't cry…" a deep leathery voice spoke from behind.

Tifa didn't need to turn around to know who it was. She smiled softly, knowing that Aeris had chased away her nightmares for good.

"Vincent…" She whispered.

She could hear him approach her, his arms wrapped around his waist… Black hair fell over her shoulder as he gently caressed his cheek against hers lovingly.

Tifa closed her eyes and sighed happily. Her chest swelled with that familiar feeling she had whenever they were both alone together. She turned to face him, looking up to his glowing red eyes. Her fingers slowly unclasped his cloak. Pushing it off his shoulder, she wrapped her arms to pull him in gently to place a tender kiss upon his lips. Unlike the unwanted kisses that she dreamt, this had felt so real. Her body grew warmer and warmer as he had begun to deepen the kiss. Tifa's eyes opened and she had blinked a few times confused…. Chicken noodle soup?

"ACHOO!" Barrett sneezed waking Tifa up. The fighter shot up nearly bumping into Vincent. Looking around she found the entire group huddled by a fire. They were in a cabin to a man she overheard called Holzoff.

"You all awake now?" he smiled to the group. "You collapsed at the great glacier. It's a miracle you're all right."

Tifa checked herself over then looked over to Vincent confused. He set down the cup of soup he had held. The fighter flushed, he had been feeding her while she was out.

"Told ya soup would wake anyone up from a cold sleep." Cid grinned.

Cloud looked to Holzoff still warming up his hands, "We can't thank you enough for helping us."

"Of all the 20 years I have been living here I haven't seen anything like you guys. If you are planning to head north, you'd better listen to my story." Holzoff moved and made himself comfortable. "You ever hear about those who challenged the cliff?"

"No, could you please tell us?" Cloud took a cup of Soup from Yuffie and sipped carefully.

"There's an old legend that says something fell from the sky here a long time ago." Holzoff begun. "That's what's supposed to have pushed the land up and formed this cliff. 30 years ago, Yamski and I took this cliff on to see what was on the other side. But we weren't prepared for it. We did expect the temperature to be low but… On that cliff, there's always a biting cold wind. The cold air lowers your body temperature. Yamski was below me. He cut his own rope. And I didn't even notice… Ever since then, I've settled here, continuing to challenge the cliff and provide warning and shelter to my fellow climbers. If you're going to climb the cliff, there are two precautions you'll need to take. First, check your route… it's hard to find because of all the snow. Second, once you get to a ledge, make sure you warm yourselves up… Understand?" Holzoff looked to the group.

They all nodded and the mountain man smiled. "Good, you all better rest up some before you head out." He got up and moved to another room, leaving the group alone.

Barrett smirked after finishing his soup, "Seein' a place like this, makes you realize how awesome nature is. But if anyone ever told me to live here… I'd tell them to… well you know." Barrett laughed some, "I'll tell you one thing though, if I did have to live here I'd change things around n' make them better. I guess the total opposite of this would be… Midgar."

Tifa smiled some thinking about it. He was right.

"When you think of it that way, Shinra don't seem so bad…" Barrett's eyes soon widened in realization of what he had said. "What!? What the hell am I sayin'!? The Shinra, not bad?!"

Cloud laughed a bit.

"Y 'know, being here in a place like this… kinda makes you feel like the planet's not on our side, don't it. Of course we can't even compete. I mean… the planet don't even notice us humans." The gun armed man sighed.

"I just keep thinking that this blizzard is nothing… reverse thought." Tifa smiled to Barrett.

"I wonder what's at the top of that cliff… well we shall see." Red thought.

"Brrrr" Yuffie shivered, "I just can't take this cold."

"You know… this is all secret info, but Rufus's going to arrive here too." Cait whispered to the group with a grin.

"Damn… if I could just get back to the air, this cliff would be nothing." Cid sneezed soon after.

"I need strong able bodied to help me climb this cliff to secure a route…" Cloud looked the group over. "Vincent… Tifa, and Cid… Will you come with me?"

The three of them nodded and moved to get ready.

They stepped out into the cold; the snow had died down some. Cloud barrowed a jacket from Holzoff along with some climbing equipment. "Remember what was said to us. We need to keep moving." Cloud marched up to the large cliff.

Tifa followed, the four of them had secured a line around their waist. Cloud started first, followed by Cid, Vincent, and then finally Tifa.

"Tifa! Let me know if this pace is too fast!" Cloud called down.

"Don't worry about me!" Tifa smiled adjusting her scarf to cover her mouth. She gripped the ice cold wall and pulled herself up. She watched Vincent's movements and followed the holes he had made for an easier climb. She could see Cid vanish a ledge up ahead. Her nose was frozen along with her cheeks. The tips of her fingers were starting to ache; the bitter bite of the icy cliff was getting to her.

Cloud had lent out his hand for her to take. She gratefully took it, the blonde pulling her up. Cid jumped up and down trying to use his frozen fingers to create a small fire with his lighter. Vincent stood motionless; the cold didn't seem to be having much of an effect.

"Let me just… Nail this down and cast the rope…" Cloud took out the climbing items he acquired.

Tifa jogged in place, ensuring the blood was reaching her frozen toes. She stuck her hands under her arms to try and warm them up.

"Alright… let's go" Cloud sniffed taking hold of the cliff again.

Cid groaned putting away his lighter and climbed soon after.

"Are you well enough to climb?" Vincent asked before taking hold of the cliff.

"Y-y-yeah I'm fine" Tifa smiled behind her scarf. She winced some grabbing the ledge and moving forth. After pulling and pushing herself up she could make out the next ledge where they would need to go. She had begun to sweat; the exertion of keeping her cold hands in place was starting to toll on her.

She looked for that friendly hand again to help her up onto the ledge; Vincent's claw came down grabbing her bag. She let out a small squeak of surprise as she was lifted up onto the ledge. She noticed Cloud desperately trying to warm himself up. Tifa sighed some, wiping her brow. Already it was starting to freeze against her face.

"Tifa… next climb, just hold onto my back… it's just one more." Vincent told the fighter.

Cloud had heard however he was too cold to care.

"Hey got any room on your back for me too?" Cid shivered.

"Just hang in there guys… one more… to secure." Cloud tossed the rope over the ledge for the others to climb. He moved back and sighed to the cliff before taking hold for the last time.

Vincent knelt down some looking back to Tifa.

She would have flushed if her skin wasn't already pink. She moved closer wrapping her arms around his neck. Jumping on her legs locked around his waist. Vincent got up and carefully begun to climb. She nuzzled against him; he was very warm despite the harsh cold. She could have sworn she heard him sigh when she held on tighter.

"Vincent… thank you for this…" She whispered to his ear, though with the harsh wind Cid and Cloud wouldn't have been able to hear either of them.

"Fu ne Tifa ie treck"

Tifa strained to hear Vincent; however his deep voice was lost to her ears… It had sounded like he was speaking in another language. Tifa's brows furrowed, she held on tighter, "What did you say?"

"Nothing…" She heard him say clearly, "We are almost there."

His metal claw dug into the cliff, creating a hole for him to pull up on. Jumping his footing nearly slipped, but his quick reflexes enabled him to act quickly and grab the last ledge. He looked back to the direction Tifa was facing, "Climb up."

She nodded, reluctant to leave the warmth and carefully moved onto the ledge, turning to help Vincent up.

Cloud secured the final climb and they numbly moved their way into a cave.

"This will lead us up further… and through." Cloud sniffed, "We will be closer to entering the crater."

The floor of the cave was warm to the touch, however the walls around were made of ice. Giant stalactites hung from the ceiling, slowly dripping cold water.

"Be careful guys…" Cloud looked over to his group.

Making their way carefully around the hanging objects, they found that the path they were following beginning to warm up some. A grumble could be heard up ahead.

"Watch out!" Cid yelled out.

Tifa and Cloud ducked out of the way of a cloaked being flying past them. The being groaned in pain, bleeding profusely before dying.

"A clone…" Cloud's eyes widened, "We are on the right path!"

"Never mind that, what the hell is up there?" Cid took out his spear.

A large dragon guarded the entrance to the crater; it was different from the one they had fought in the temple of the ancients. This one stood on its hind legs, its claws razor sharp and ready to swipe. What made this dragon even more different though was its two heads, one breathing fire, the other breathing ice.

"Careful guys! There are some icicles above us still!" Cloud drew his weapon.

Vincent took out his gun and begun to fire at the dragon, however its scales were too tough, the bullets ricocheted off.

Cid jumped out of the way of the spike of ice falling above. "Damnit Vampire! Put that thing away!"

Vincent done so with a growl, he moved up with Tifa waiting for the opportune moment to attack.

"It's scales… I can't cut through them!" Cloud jumped back avoiding a spiral of fire blown at him.

"What if we use its powers against the other? Cloud you have a fire materia?" Tifa called out.

Cloud quickly checked himself over, "Shit! Barrett has it! I have Blizzard!"

"Vincent…" The fighter looked over to the gunman. "Can you use Galian?" She cautiously asked.

Vincent's eyes moved her hers, he closed them for a moment, opening them to revel yellow ones. He backed away from Tifa allowing the transformation to take over. His body grew thick black fur while his hair screamed white. The cloak fell from his shoulders latching onto his waist and his face longed, morphing into a snout. Galian took a breath, fire crackling out.

Tifa backed away unsure of the carnage that Galian would cause. The beast lunged forward swiping its claws at the dragon putting tiny scratches into its scales.

Cloud sent a wave of cold and ice at the fire breathing head. It froze in place surrounded by ice. "Tifa now!"

The fighter nodded running up to the dragon and grabbed the frozen head. She twisted her body with a yell snapping off the body part at the neck.

The ice side of the dragon shrieked out in pain, turning to snap at Tifa, its jaws however were caught in Galian's claws. Galian roared out flame flying out of its mouth and engulfing the dragon. It thrashed about trying to douse itself. Cid jumped forward with his spear and managed to break through the now brittle scales. "All yours spiky!"

Cloud grinned and moved forward to strike the dragon, finishing it. Galian however stepped before the swordsman and dug its claws into the dragon's soft neck. Pulling at the skin he tore through and reached in grabbing its esophagus, tearing it apart.

"Galian… enough." Tifa felt ill to her stomach.

Galian however continued to tear at the dragon, even well after its death.

"Vincent! Stop this!" Cloud readied to attack.

The wolf like beast backed away, holding its head in pain. It slowly transformed back into human form, the form of Vincent.

Tifa stood shocked and scared. Vincent looked to the group before fixing his cloak, "I apologize… I am not sure what had gotten into Galian…"

"I'll say… freaky #% ^$&$ ." Cid cursed.

"Are you in control?" Cloud asked.

"More so than you are." Vincent bit back. Tifa figured that Vincent was starting to get cross with Cloud's constant pestering.

Cloud glared at the gunman before brushing past him continuing on.

Cid did his best to hid a smirk however shook his head patting Vincent on the back.

Tifa looked to the gunman, his eyes meeting hers. She let out a small smile. The carnage Galian had shown before her made her remember how strong he was. "Let's go." Tifa smiled more moving first.

They exited the cave, standing in awe at the vision before them. They had expected the crater to be large, but this even dwarfed the size of Midgar. The entire area was dead, no life coming from the ground. There seemed to be a large bubble around the center, a strange green blue wind blowing at different speeds.

"An old crater…" Cloud loosened his scarf. "Something fell out of the sky and crashed down here… Leaving a scar on the planet."

"The energy of the planet is concentrated here." Red approached with the rest of the group. "It is slowly healing its old wound."

"So the planet has gathered all this energy here to heal itself?" Tifa looked to the lion creature surprised.

Yuffie scoffed some, "Even I know what's going on." She then stuck her tongue out playfully at the fighter.

"Sephiroth took that energy and is trying to use Meteor." Cloud sighed, "Next time the wound won't be so small."

They carefully made their way to the center. Passing several downed clones on the way. Red had been nervous, still worried on whether or not he would go mad.

Tifa had the feeling that they were getting close… close to fighting Sephiroth. She tightened her gloves, "The time has come to settle things with Sephiroth… huh?" She smiled over to Cloud.

He let out a nod, he was anxious if he would lose it again.

"I too… have lost many things because of Sephiroth." Tifa bit back the pain in her memories, "Let's go!" She sprinted forward reaching the wind wall first. Cloud moved first, carefully timing the gusts and ran through the calmed area. Cait nearly was blown away, his body not able to move too quickly. Cid then Tifa followed soon after. Yuffie, Barrett, Vincent and Red were last.

Cid turned at the sound of propellers spinning. Turning he pointed, "Ah…"

Cloud too looked up in surprise, "That's!"

"Shinra…" Vincent finished.

"Rufus… still gotta pay my respects." Barrett grinned wickedly.

Their attention was soon drawn back to the sounds of screams. Looking ahead they could see more clones, all of them being killed by the silver haired man… Sephiroth.

"This is the end… for all of you." His voice resonated throughout the area.

"Sephiroth! This is the end!" Cloud ran up with his weapon drawn, the group not too far behind.

"You're right. This is the end… of this body's usefulness…" Sephiroth dropped his sword and soon vanished.

"He disappeared?!" Cloud looked around franticly.

Tifa stood ready to attack, "He might still be nearby."

"Our?" Cloud spoke out.

"He got away?" Barrett didn't seem to notice.

"I feel something… danger?" Red looked to the others.

"I was just getting into it too." Yuffie huffed.

"Stay on alert. You never know when Sephiroth might appear." Vincent warned.

"Master?!" Cloud looked around more.

Tifa lost her guard, looking over to Cloud confused. Just what was he saying? Master?

Sephiroth fell from above; his sword hit them all hard. Tifa collapsed feeling the wind knocked out of her.

"Get up! It's that ugly %^ Jenova again!" Barrett had begun to fire.

Tifa regained her breath, looking up she couldn't find Sephiroth, however she did see a very large Jenova. Lasers shot from its eyes burning Cait's Mog.

"Nya! Watch it will ya!" He jumped off and onto Red's back.

The lion creature sprinted forward to claw at the creature, however was pushed back by a large tendril.

Vincent jumped next to Barrett; the two collaborated on concentrating their fire on its face to prevent further lasers from shooting out.

Cid moved quickly with Yuffie, he helped the ninja girl gain momentum swinging her around so that her weapon would dig itself into Jenova. The monster wailed out in pain, trying to dislodge it.

Cid grinned jumping up and jabbing at its appendage.

Tifa decided to run in, like the form they had fought back in the city of the ancients she repeated punched and kicked, weakening a spot for Cloud to come in and slice Jenova open.

"Tifa watch out!" Cid called out.

Tifa looked up to the pilot and noticed the tendril he was on was coming down onto her. She tried to jump out of its way however her legs were caught. Falling, she screamed out, getting crushed under the weight.

Cid jumped off and tried to lift the appendage however could not. The tendril snaked and wrapped around Tifa's aching legs raising her up and squeezing.

Her knees pinched together painfully, she tried to sit up and punch at the attack but swung back down, her body still tired from the rigorous climb.

"Tifa!" Cloud called out. He sprinted forward running up to cut the tendril however was side attacked from its other.

Tifa concentrated on casting lightning, releasing the magic from her hands. She felt a decent bite from the attack; she had the materia slotted into her gloves instead of her belt for offensive purposes.

Vincent stopped firing and ran forward. With a quick transformation into Galian he clawed his way up the tendril reaching Tifa. He scratched and bit at the appendage; Tifa could feel the grip Jenova had on her loosening. She was dropped, spinning around she landed on her feet however collapsed.

"Ah... my legs…" Tifa groaned some.

"Hang on Lassy!" Cait jumped off of Red and begun to cast Cure.

Tifa looked up to Jenova, it had shifted back some, the force of everyone's attacks would soon kill it.

With her legs feeling refreshed and healed, Tifa nodded at the toy before running back up to attack.

"We need to end this guys!" Cloud huffed tired.

Galian jumped in front of Tifa and breathed hard, flames billowing out of his mouth. Cid jumped off of the monster batting the fire on his pants out, "Hey! Watch it ya Werewolf!"

Tifa looked down; she noticed that Galian's furry hand was holding onto hers. Tifa smiled and stood behind Galian as it continued to breathe fire at Jenova. The monster crisped, hardening in place unable to move without breaking itself. Cid took the final blow this time, taking out a stick of dynamite and lighting it using his cigarette. Tossing it to the immobile monster he ran away, "Everyone down!"

Galian picked up Tifa and jumped away just as the explosive went off. He shielded Tifa from the flesh splattering everywhere.

Setting the fighter down he slowly morphed back into his human form.

Tifa watched as he stepped toward the mess that was once Jenova. Reaching down he picked up a small black object… the black materia.

"Jenova's cells…" Cloud looked to the mess. "So that's what this is all about. The Jenova Reunion."

"What?" Tifa looked to the blonde confused, "So… then that wasn't Sephiroth that we had been chasing?"

Cloud moved up to Vincent taking the black materia into his hand, "I'll explain later. Right now, the only thing I'm thinking about is beating Sephiroth. He is here…"

"But Sephiroth…" Tifa looked puzzled, the monster Jenova was walking around as the silver haired man.

"He's here!" Cloud snapped, Tifa flinched some surprised, "The real Sephiroth is just beyond here. It's both incredibly wicked and cruel… But it's releasing a powerfully strong will from deep within this planet's wound." Clouds eyes were focused on the black meteor. "The black materia is back in our hands. Now all we have to do is defeat Sephiroth and that'll be the end of it."

"You mean… we were not in pursuit of Sephiroth?" Vincent stepped up next to Tifa.

"What?! All that time I was following this… this thing?! Yuffie joined pointing to the mess around them.

"We'd better not take the black materia any further." Tifa folded her arms, Cloud was acting strange, and it wouldn't be wise to bring such a destructive materia any closer, "Why don't you give it to someone else to hold on to."

Cloud turned to the group and walked before each one. Yuffie waved her hands in front of her, "I don't want anything to do with that black materia!"

"Why isn't it that you trust Cloud with the materia?" Vincent whispered to Tifa.

"You have seen him… he just… something just doesn't seem right." She sighed.

Cloud stopped before Barrett, he handed the gun armed man the black materia. "Damn man! Pressure's on now…" Barrett's jaw tightened as he held the small stone.

"Don't give it to anyone…" Cloud sighed some, "I am counting on you."

Barrett turned cursing some, "Damn it… Sephiroth and his crazy #%^!"

"Vincent, Cid, and Nanaki… protect Barrett and the materia at all costs." Cloud moved ready to move on.

Tifa stepped up with Yuffie and Cait; she looked back to the caped man with a slight frown upon her face. He however let out a gentle nod, signaling her that he would still be there.

Returning the nod Tifa sprinted off with Cait in her hands. They moved closer and closer to the center of the crater, Cait squirmed some in the fighter's arms. "Something feels rea-lly weird here."

"I know… but we need to find Sephiroth." Tifa smiled down to the toy.

Tifa looked up to see Cloud and Yuffie gone. Looking down she found that the small cat toy she held was also gone.

"Cloud?... Yuffie? Cait?" She called out looking around. Her surroundings had changed. The entire area was white, almost blinding.

"Hello?" She heard Clouds voice.

"Cloud! What is this? What's happening?" Tifa listened close for her friend's voice.

"Calm down Tifa… Sephiroth is near. Anything could happen."

"Calm down my butt!" Yuffie spoke out.

The surrounding's changed before Tifa's eyes. The area mellowed out and buildings suddenly appeared. Tifa instantly recognized the town of Nibelheim before her. Her heart once more felt heavy. What was going on?

"Its… Nibelheim…" Tifa stepped closer to the entrance. Cloud, Cait and Yuffie joined her.

"Is this an illusion?" Cait whispered.

"Why Nibelheim? This is freaky, really freaky!" Yuffie moved closer to Tifa holding her arm.

"This is an illusion Sephiroth made up." Cloud took a closer look at some of the details. "He is trying to confuse us. It'll be alright as long as we know it's an illusion. There's nothing to be afraid of. Let's keep going." Cloud looked to Tifa offering his hand.

Tifa looked down at the invite and slowly took it.

The group walked past the entrance and ran into an invisible force. "Nya, what is this?" Cait banged his furry fists on the wall.

"It's like a wall." Yuffie too pounded on it.

Tifa looked around, trying to find any sign for them to get out. She noticed a small group approaching the entrance, "Look!"

They turned around and watched as Sephiroth and two soldiers moved in, stopping before entering the town. Tifa's eyes nearly burst into tears as she saw her worst fears. A black haired SOLDIER lastly approached. The same handsome face and hair style… she could never forget that man… the man that she wished was really Cloud.

"Huh?" Yuffie moved in looking closer, the images did not take notice to them; it was as if they were ghosts in a memory. "Cloud's not here."

"Cloud, something's strange here. Who is that guy?" Cait pointed.

"Tell him… tell him he wasn't there." Sephiroth's voice whispered in Tifa's mind

Tifa shook her head looking to Sephiroth's image, "Stop… Sephiroth."

Cloud scoffed, "This is so stupid."

A bright flash caused everyone to look away. They noticed that the group before them were gone, only to approach once more.

"Come on, we have to hurry back to the real world." Cait sighed annoyed.

"I don't want to be in an illusion." Yuffie groaned.

Tifa looked to Cloud to see he was focused on the black haired SOLDIER. "Cloud…" She got his attention. "It's just an illusion. Don't worry about it."

Another flash of white blinded them all.

Tifa could hear Sephiroth's laughter inside her head, "Just an illusion? Shall I show him more?"

"Stop it already!" Tifa yelled out.

The area glowed red. Her eyes widened as an illusionary fire engulfed them all. It died some allowing them to see the town of Nibelheim burning.

"Wow… I didn't know it was this bad…" Yuffie spoke softly.

"This is insane…" Cait added

"This is what actually happened five years ago…" Cloud stood amazed that the details were perfect.

Tifa watched as her house was engulfed in flames. Her eyes watered, looking to her master as he desperately tried to save the villagers.

"It's probably not me that's going to come out of the Shinra mansion…" Cloud narrowed his eyes on the old building. "He's going to show us another stupid illusion…"

Cait glanced up at Tifa. She bit her lip some watching Cloud. He shook his head as the black haired man ran out of the mansion.

"See… didn't I tell you?" Cloud let out a halfhearted laugh.

Tifa watched the vision before her. It was just like as Cloud had told it… how did he know even the smallest of details? "I… I don't want to watch this… Cloud!" She reached for his hand. "Don't watch"

Cloud took Tifa's hand looking confused, "What's wrong Tifa? I told you before, right? As long as we know that it's just an illusion, there's no need to be scared." He smiled to her.

That smile pained Tifa more than her holding back the secret. "Such a bad girl… You really don't deserve to be in the same party as him… to be hiding such a secret from your longtime friend." Sephiroth's voice whispered more.

They moved out of the fire into an opening where several of the villagers laid motionless. Tifa recognized one of the men with a camera around his neck… he was the one that had taken the group's picture so long ago.

"He-hey, you!" Yuffie moved to try and help the people. "You alright?" She tried to shake the man however her hands went through his body. She stood back looking to her hands confused, "Oh! It's still an illusion… but it feels so real." She shivered.

"Sephiroth! I know you're listening! I know what you want to say! That I wasn't in Nibelheim five years ago… That's it, isn't it?" Cloud yelled out.

In a flash, Sephiroth appeared before the group, a wicked grin placed on his lips. "I see you finally understand."

"What are you trying to say is that you want to confuse me, right?" Cloud gritted his teeth angry, "But… even making me see those things won't affect me. I remember it all! The heat of the fire, the pain in my body… and in my heart."

Sephiroth chuckled, "Oh, is that so?" The smirk on his face faded, his looked at Cloud with intent, his eyes narrowing, "You are just a puppet… you have no heart… and cannot feel any pain… How can there be any meaning in the memory of such a being? What I have shown you is reality. What you remember, that is the illusion."

"Cloud!" Tifa called out.

"Do you understand?" Sephiroth looked to Tifa with a wicked smirk.

"I…" Cloud shook the doubt from his mind; however it haunted him inside, "I don't want to understand. But I want to ask you one thing… why? Why are you doing this?"

Sephiroth laughed loudly, "I want to take you back to your real self. The one who gave me the black materia that day… who would have ever thought a failed experiment would prove so useful? Hojo would die if he knew."

"Hojo?" Cloud yelled out confused.

Tifa's heart felt as if it was tearing out of her body. "Don't listen to him Cloud!"

He continued on, not hearing the fighter's words, "What does he have to do with me?"

"Five years ago, you were…" Sephiroth thought of a good word, "Constructed by Hojo, piece by piece, right after Nibelheim was burnt."

"Cloud let's get out of here!" Tifa called out again.

"A Puppet, made up of vibrant Jenova cells, her knowledge, and the power of Mako" Sephiroth's words had drawn Cloud in like a whirlpool. "An incomplete Sephiroth-clone. Not even given a number. That is your reality!" Sephiroth laughed once more.

"Cloud… don't listen to him!" Tifa cried out, "Close your eyes, cover your ears!" She begged.

"What's wrong Tifa?" Cloud turned to the chocolate eyed woman, "I'm not affected by it... I wasn't really paying attention to him."

Tifa smiled weakly nodding, "That's right… All that talk of Hojo constructing you is a lie. Don't we have our memories together? Being kids together, starlit nights?"

"Ah… Tifa…" Sephiroth approached the fighter. She stood stiff, too scared to move, "Why are you so worried and scared by those words?" He leaned in, his face inches from hers, "Hmm… Shall I show everyone here what's in your heart?"

Tifa managed to find the strength in her legs to turn away from the silver haired man. She placed a hand over her heart, the tears streaming down her face.

Sephiroth laughed at her weakness, "You look like you're not feeling well." He mocked her.

"Tifa?" Cloud softly spoke, "Is… is Sephiroth right?" The blonde sounded scared.

"Cloud…" Tifa couldn't bear to look at him.

Cloud approached Tifa, placing a hand on her shoulder. She shook petrified. "Tifa, why are you so scared? Don't worry about me. I'm alright. No matter how confused I am, I'll never believe a word that Sephiroth says. It's true that sometimes I can't figure out who I am. There are a lot of things muddled up in my memories. But Tifa…" Cloud turned the woman around to talk to her face to face, eye to eye. "You said, 'long time no see Cloud" right? Those words will always support me. I am the one you grew up with. I'm Cloud of Nibelheim."

Clouds words struck Tifa as if she was being stabbed.

"No matter how much I lose faith in myself, that is the truth. That's why you shouldn't be so scared. No matter what anyone else says to me, it's your attitude that counts…" Cloud smiled to Tifa.

Tifa shook her head wiping away the tears, "No… That's not true Cloud…"

"What's not?" Cloud smirked surprised, "Aren't I the same Cloud you grew up with?"

"That's not what I mean… I don't know how to say it…" Tifa took both of Cloud's hands into her own; she wasn't ready to tell him yet… nor was this the time or the place "Cloud… I need more time... just give me a little more time."

Sephiroth moved behind the flames closer to the mansion, "Cloud… Don't blame Tifa. The ability to change one's looks, voice, and words, is the power of Jenova. Inside of you, Jenova has merged with Tifa's memories, creating you. Out of Tifa's memory…. A boy named Cloud might've just been a part of them." He soon after vanished.

Tifa shook her head, "Cloud… please don't think right now!"

Cloud looked pained some. Sephiroth appeared closer to the both of them laughing, "Think Cloud!... Cloud?" Sephiroth rolled his eyes, "Oh… excuse me… you never had a name..."

"Shut up Sephiroth!" Cloud yelled out angry.

"You still don't understand?" The silver haired man turned and moved closer to the downed man with the camera. "Do you remember the picture that we took before we headed for Mt. Nibel? Surely you remember Tifa… But there is no way he would know." He grinned to the fighter... "Now, what happened to that picture?" Bending to pick up a folded paper from the man's pocket. "Is this it? Do you want to see it? It turned out pretty good." Sephiroth offered it to Cloud.

"Cloud don't!" Tifa held his hand tighter.

"I… I should be in the picture..." Cloud looked to Tifa with an unsure smile, "Even if I'm not in there, no worry. This is just an illusory world Sephiroth made up." He pulled his hand away from Tifa and walked over to Sephiroth. Taking the picture from his hand, Tifa could see Cloud's face scowl some. "Just as I thought. This picture is a fake. The truth is in my memory. Five years ago, I came back to Nibelheim to inspect the reactor. I was sixteen. The town hadn't changed at all. What did I do?" Cloud thought some, "Oh yeah… I saw my mom... I saw the people in town. Yeah, I went to Tifa's room. There I … Played the piano, read the letter addressed to Tifa." Cloud strained to think, "I spent the night and went to the reactor in Mt. Nibel. I was excited about it. Because that was my first mission after become First Class in SOLDIER."

Cloud clutched his head in pain. "SOLDIER, First Class?"

Cloud shook his head thinking, Tifa painfully watched.

"SOLDIER? When did I enter SOLDIER?"

Cloud clutched his head again, "How did I join SOLDIER?" Falling to his knees he strained to think, "Why… why can't I remember? I'm… I'm…" Cloud's expression relaxed, he got up looking back to Tifa, "That's right… I didn't have to worry about it, because I was…"

"Cloud?" Tifa held her hands together worried for her friend.

Cloud smiled to Tifa, he reached out for her hand. "Tifa… Let's go… I'm… I'm alright."

Tifa reached for Cloud, just before taking his hand the area went dark. Tifa withdrew her hand closer to herself and looked around franticly for any type of light. "Cloud? Yuffie? Cait?" She called out again hoping to have one of them answer. Her chest felt heavy from what happened moments ago. Sephiroth had revealed the truth; the one thing Tifa had feared the most. She tried to shake the thoughts from her head. Was what had just happened real? Did Cloud believe Sephiroth? Or better yet, was she really affected by Jenova?

Tifa shook her head… No, she remembers the small blonde boy. She remembers when they went to the well, she was late and Cloud was getting cold. He told her his goals… that couldn't have been made up. The real Cloud was before her, he was in no way or form a puppet…

Tifa was blinded a moment as they reappeared, she looked around to see Hojo, Rufus, and Scarlett from Shinra. Yuffie clutched Cait while Cloud looked more confused than before.

"H-hey!" Scarlett jumped back surprised, "Where did you come from?" She pointed to the group.

"Don't know…." Cloud spoke softly. "This… This place is going to get rough. Better leave things to me and get out of here while you still can."

Rufus looked disgusted, "Leave things to you? Hmph… I don't know what you mean"

"This is where Reunion is happening… Where everything begins and ends." Cloud smiled some.

"Cloud!" Tifa yelled out, she tried to run over to Cloud however Rufus's leather gloved hand grabbed her arm. He pulled her back twisting it preventing her from fighting back.

"Hey! We're here to help you!" Barrett had suddenly ran up.

Tifa's eyes went wide with shock, "N-!" She tried to yell out to stop Barrett, however Rufus's other gloved hand covered her mouth.

"Thanks… Barrett, where's the black materia?" Cloud asked.

Tifa squirmed she noticed Scarlet holding Yuffie in the same manner, Cait didn't move, as if he was disabled.

The fighter squirmed more, she managed to bite Rufus's finger causing him to pull that hand away shaking it. "Cloud!"

"It's safe. I have it" Barrett patted the pocket he kept it in.

"I'll take it from here. Give me the black materia." Cloud smiled some.

"You can't hear me? Cloud!" Tifa spoke out before Rufus once more moved to quiet Tifa.

Barrett looked to Cloud funny, "Hey man, you alwright?"

Cloud nodded and held out his hand, waiting for the precious item to be placed in it.

"Well... Ok then." Barrett took the black materia out from his pocket and handed it over to Cloud, "Had a lot of pressure holding this thing" Barrett laughed some.

Tifa's mind screamed out 'No! Stop! Cloud!' she tried again to wiggle out but felt the pain in her arm stopped her. Any more pressure on it and it would break.

Cloud clutched the black materia, "Thanks… leave the rest to me. Cloud turned to Tifa, Cait, and Yuffie. Barrett watched confused on what was going on. Shinra soldiers came up from behind grabbing the gun armed man pinning him to the floor. "Everyone, thanks for everything. And… I'm sorry… Sorry…" They looked to Cait, "Sorry…" He moved to Yuffie… he lastly turned to Tifa, "Especially you, Tifa. I'm really sorry. You have been so good to me… I don't know what to say… I never lived up to being 'Cloud'. Tifa… Maybe one day you'll meet the real Cloud".

Tifa shook her head some, her knees gave. Rufus let her go, knowing that she was too emotionally weak to move.

A cackle came out from behind Rufus. Hojo clapped his hand together, a wicked grin on his face, "This is perfect! It means that my experiment was a complete success. What number were you?" Hojo approached Cloud, "Where is your tattoo?"

Cloud looked down shaking his head, "Professor Hojo… I don't have a number. You didn't give me one because you said I was a failed experiment."

Tifa shook her head in disbelief at what was going on before her, her voice had left her.

"What the?" Hojo stepped back shocked. "You mean only a failure made it here?"

Cloud looked up to Hojo with pleading eyes, "Professor… please give me a number... please, professor…"

Hojo was fuming, he gritted his teeth, "Shut up miserable failure!"

Cloud looked down in disappointment. His feet suddenly left the ground. Flying into the air like Sephiroth had done many times before him; he landed on a mess of branches that were above them.

Tifa took the time now to look around, it was a large cave of ice, and the branches above looked like a nest, floating above them. She watched as Cloud moved closer to the center.

"What was that?" Rufus looked to Hojo.

Hojo re-adjusted his glasses, he refused to meet Rufus's gaze, still angry at the situation at hand. "He's a Sephiroth-close I created after the real Sephiroth died five years ago. Jenova cells and Mako, with my knowledge and skills, have been combined with science and nature to bring him life. I'm not wild about the failure part, but the Jenova Reunion Theory has now been proven. You see, even if Jenova's body is dismembered, it will eventually become one again. That's what is meant by Jenova's reunion. I have been waiting for the Reunion to start. Five years have passed, and now the clones begin to return." He pointed at Cloud, "I thought the clones would begin to gather at Midgar where Jenova is stored, but my predictions were not entirely correct." Hojo intertwined his hands behind his back now pacing, "Jenova itself began to move away from the Shinra building. But being a genius that I am, I soon figured it out. You see it was all Sephiroth's doing. Sephiroth is not just content to diffuse his will onto the life stream; he wants to manipulate the clones himself…" Hojo chuckled to himself, "I wondered where the clones were going but I was never able to figure it out."

Tifa was pulled back up to her feet by Rufus. She wanted to collapse again but his hold on her prevented it.

"The one thing that I did know was that Sephiroth was at their final destination." Hojo laughed madly, "Did you see it!?" he pointed up at the mess of branches above them.

Tifa looked up to see Sephiroth encased in Mako, his lower half was missing, seeming to split off into the branches that were the ceiling. The silver haired man sat motionless, as if in a deep slumber.

"It's Sephiroth! So he IS here!" Hojo clapped his hands rubbing them with excitement, he jumped over to Rufus pointing to the obvious protrusion hanging, "Did you see it! It's Sephiroth! So he IS here! This is perfect! Both Jenova's reunion and Sephiroth's will! They won't be diffused into the Lifestream but gathered here!" he cackled.

Rufus shrugged off Hojo looking a bit disgusted.

Tifa grew angry; she shot a glare over at the mad scientist, "What are you so happy about professor? You know what this means don't you? Cloud has the black materia! Sephiroth is going to summon meteor, and every single person is going to die!"

Rufus looked down to Tifa with wide eyes; he pulled the woman with him as he yelled back to everyone else. "Whatever I say now is too little too late. We must evacuate! I want you all to come with me, there is still much more I want to hear!"

Tifa struggled to stay back; she looked up to the blond with worried eyes, "Cloud!"

They had been force to board the plane. Tifa looked around however could not see Vincent or the others. The airship had begun to take off. "W-wait!" Tifa ran to grab the sleeve of Rufus's white coat. "Wait there are others! Please we need to get them!"

Rufus shrugged off the woman and turned to Scarlet, "Lock them up for now; we need this ship off ground."

"No! You can't leave them!" Tifa struggled as Scarlet and another soldier grabbed her arms.

The ship started to rumble, with her arms free Tifa ran down a nearby set of stairs. The bottom of the ship contained a free area much like a hot air balloon, dashing for the railing she leaned over and yelled out for the others; however her voice was covered by the loud rumbles coming from within the crater. Tifa's eyes widened in shock with the site she saw. Strange giant objects rose from the crater, each one blasting off with a screech. One came too close to the ship and rocked it severely. Alarms went off and Tifa clung for her life, however lost her grip falling back. Her eyes shut after hitting her head on the hard floor.


	24. Meteor, Romance on the Highwind

Holiday weekend! Woo!

A huge thank you to **Numinous-Alqua** for your wonderful review ^^ I know you must be waiting some romancing in this story so I hope I do not disappoint.

This chapter does contain adult situations and shouldn't be read by those not yet ready. This story is rated M for a reason. If you don't like it or if you are offended, please skip over the end of this chapter.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this story. I love each alert and favorite. Thank you.

~Miss Ti

Tifa slowly walked the Sector 7 slums, she passed by the pillar holding the plate up. She was walking in the direction of the playground for no particular reason that day. Perhaps she was just lonely, the bar was filled with the same people, and she could never bring herself to get to know her patrons more.

"Just what is going on?" She sighed not quite remembering much of what happened. She jumped some at a hissing train. Tifa noticed a man dressed in a red uniform bent over looking to another man on the ground

"What's the matter?" She overhead the guard.

The figure on the ground groaned out in pain.

Tifa ran over, she noticed the blonde hair of the man on the ground and felt her chest tighten. "H-hey are you alright?" She looked down and gasped at the site before her.

Cloud looked up at Tifa, his Mako blue eyes scanning hers. They were beautiful.

Tifa recognized him, he lived next door to her in her hometown. What was his name again? Clause? No that wasn't it. She had read the papers every day, hoping to find him in them for so long… She knew if she had saw his name she would know it to be him, this man standing before her fully grown.

Cloud looked pained some, holding his head he groaned, "Tifa?... Tifa?" he got up to his feet.

The guard looked from Cloud to Tifa confused, he hesitated leaving the both of them to get medical help.

Cloud suddenly snapped straight, he smiled, "Tifa!"

Something inside Tifa shocked her, she brushed her bangs aside and laughed some, "Oh, Cloud!"

Cloud nodded with a smirk, "That's right, I'm Cloud."

She narrowed her eyes to get a look at him. He was wearing a SOLDIER uniform. "Is it really you Cloud? I never thought I'd find you here!"

"Yeah, it's been a while." Cloud nodded.

"W-what happened to you? You don't look well."

Cloud looked to the fighter confused, "Yeah? It's nothing. I am ok."

Tifa turned looking to the direction of her bar, she was contemplating on whether or not she should bring him back. But she couldn't just leave him here. After all that time… She turned to Cloud still questioning herself on what he was doing here, and just why he was dressed like that. She turned back to see he was standing casual… like a SOLDIER.

"How long has it been?"

Cloud's eyes flickered with confusing a moment, his brows furrowed a second but he soon smiled, "Five years."

Tifa blinked some… this wasn't right.

"What is it?" Cloud questioned noticing her uneasiness.

"…It's really been a long time…" Tifa folded her arms forcing a smile on her face.

Tifa watched the scene before her darken. She stood back watching as if it was a play being performed, a play reflecting her memories. No… it wasn't replaying her memories, it was replaying a lie. She stepped up to her frozen self and sighed. She then moved to Cloud, raising her hand to gently touch his cool skin, "Actually, it's been seven years."

"You got your wish…"

Tifa turned to see herself from back when talking to Cloud. She stepped back watching.

"You joined SOLDIER, quit after the Sephiroth incident, and now you're a mercenary." The past Tifa spun her lie to Cloud. "You told me a lot about what happened after you left Nibelheim…"

Tifa sighed, "But… Something's wrong. I felt there was something strange about the things you talked about. All the things you didn't know that you should… and other things you shouldn't know that you did."

Tifa watched her past self and Cloud talk to one another. Her past vision looked worried, scared even…

"I wanted to make sure…. But then when I heard… you were going far away…"

The fighter folded her arms and watched as her past self took Clouds arm walking with him in the direction of the bar.

"I didn't want you to… I didn't know what to do. So, I thought I needed more time… and that's why I told you about the AVALANCE job. I wanted to be with you… watch you."

Tifa felt a pain in her chest rise… to see these memories again pained her. Cloud now knew the truth… but just what happened to him. He was a Hojo experiment? That just couldn't be… How?

Snow had begun to fall, Tifa looked up confused… "This… how can it snow in Midgar?" She held out her hands and reached up to the darkness above her. She couldn't see the plate. Looking back down she noticed that she was no longer in Midgar, but at the field of flowers. Snow gently gathered on the petals, the flowers begun to sink under the weight.

Tifa knelt down to pluck a pink wildflower. "Aeris… I wish you were still here. I am so troubled, and you always seemed to calm me."

The fighter expected the woman in pink to mystically appear from nowhere.

"So troubled…."

Tifa turned to see Sephiroth; the flowers around him had begun to wither. Her heart stopped and hands went numb in fear.

"I have told you quite often to tell him… To tell my puppet the truth… What will he do now… or rather if he sees you again." The silver haired man slowly stepped to the fighter.

Tifa wrapped her arms around herself, the words cutting into her like a knife through butter.

"I do pity you…" Sephiroth stopped within arm's reach. "Not only did you live with this secret, but now you have to live with the regret that he now knows… If Cloud is dead… you will have to live with the regret that if there is an afterlife, he would never forgive you."

Tears had begun to fall from Tifa's eyes. She bit her lip trying to push through the anguish.

"And if he is alive… well if I were in his shoes, I would never want to see your face again." Sephiroth grinned.

Tifa collapsed to her knees, her hands covering her face as the pain broke through her wall.

Tifa could feel Sephiroth grab at her hair, roughly pulling her to look at him. She groaned in pain and stared back into those cold blue eyes.

He continued to talk, however no words came out. She looked to him confused trying to hear. Sephiroth had begun frustrated with her face and pulled her to her feet by her hair. Tifa yelled out in pain grabbing at his hand. She looked to his mouth to see that he was yelling at her, she still couldn't hear his words.

The snow stopped falling and the moon peeked out from above giving the area a soothing glow. Sephiroth looked around letting go of Tifa and drawing his sword. He moved to thrust the blade into Tifa however stopped short of nicking her.

The fighter had her eyes closed expecting the strike only to find that it didn't come. She opened them and looked around to find Sephiroth frozen in place. Tifa stepped back away from him and his blade to bump into something hard.

Tifa turned to see a large man before her. She fell back, eyes wide at the being.

He glared down at her with piercing glowing eyes, his face was narrow and pale, a crown of red spiked back just above his eyes, part even seemed to consume around his left eye. Tifa could see scars running down from his eyes to mid cheek, as if tears were streaming down. He had the same scar like lines at his mouth. Tifa tried to stand however all she could do was stare in terror of the being before her. Her eyes glued to his. The large being let out a growl; Tifa flinched as large wings ripped from its back. They were large and black with red; tattered and torn.

The creature flapped his wings hard; Tifa shielded her eyes as snow and petals lifted from the ground at her. Standing with a struggle she watched as the creature flew off.

Quickly realizing she was still in her dream, she turned to face Sephiroth only to find him no longer there. Tifa held herself looking up to the moon… It glowed brighter and brighter, turning into a sun. Just what was that creature?

"Those eyes…" Tifa mumbled. She felt cold, her arms and legs numb. "That glare…"

"You'll be better soon. You've been asleep for a long time" She could hear Barrett speak out.

"I'm… hungry." Tifa moved an arm with effort to rest on her stomach. The table she was on was hard… far too hard to be even remotely comfortable.

"Hey…" Barrett's voice was soft, "Why don't you ask."

Tifa bit her lip.

"About him…" Barrett finished.

Tifa opened her eyes carefully sitting up. Should she ask about Cloud? "I'm scared…"

"Don't worry." Barrett sighed leaning against the far wall. "I don't know what happened to Cloud either. Guess I shouldn't tell you not to worry. None of them know if he's alwright either?"

Tifa felt her heart beat heavily, "He's still… alive?"

Barrett nodded with a small smile.

"How long… was I asleep?" Tifa placed her hand on her stomach again as it tightened.

"Lessee now…" Barrett counted the days on his human hand. Tifa noticed his gun arm was off, replaced by what seemed to be a metal fist. "Must've been about 7 days."

"What about Sephiroth?" Tifa winced some, Was she really out for that long? It just felt like an hour or so."

"You must've hit your head hard… Remember that huge light in the northern cave?" Barrett questioned.

Tifa could vaguely remember, but she nodded.

"Since then, the crater's been surrounded by a huge barrier of light. Everyone knows Sephiroth sleeps in that big hole protected by the barrier. We can't do a damn thing about it. We just gotta wait till he wakes up." Barrett sighs. "An' on topa that, some huge monster called Weapon's been on a rampage."

Tifa looked confused, "Weapon?"

"Remember that huge monster that was with Sephiroth at the bottom of the crater? Well it's up here now. They say it's some legendary monster from the past."

Tifa thought back, she did remember a large monster flying off past the aircraft. It's what caused her to fall back and knock herself out. "weapon… is protecting Sephiroth?" she asked.

Barrett shrugged, "Dunno, but he's up here goin around tearin shit up. Right now Rufus' fightin' it. I hate to say it, but he's got guts. We shoulda been the ones to destroy it, but we ain't got no time."

"Time…." Tifa thought, time always seemed to be against them. She carefully got off the table she was resting on and found her legs renewed, "Hey! What about Meteor?!"

Barrett frowned some and moved to a window, he opened the blinds.

Tifa's eyes went wide at the site. She noticed that they were in the medical facility at Junon, looming above the iconic cannon was a large ball of fire… Meteor. Tifa's heart sank…. It had been summoned successfully. "Do… Do we have to give up?" She struggled to say the words.

"Dunno…" Barrett softly replied.

The door behind them opened up, Tifa turned to see Rufus enter with several guards. "I thought Cloud would show up to save you all…" she sighed, "Professor Hojo wanted to check up on Cloud too."

Tifa's clenched her fist, "What are you going to do to Cloud?"

"Sephiroth's alter ego… Meteor has been summoned… Essentially, its all but over now." Rufus sighed with a shrug. "So, there's no need for you now." He turned to leave however stopped before exiting, "No… Maybe there is an important task for you…" Rufus sighed some stepping aside.

Heidegger entered and smiled wickedly to Tifa and Barrett, "President! Preparations for the public execution are complete!" he laughed soon after.

The fighter felt as if she was shot by the Junon cannon itself.

"Execution!?" Barrett yelled out, "What're ya gonna get by executin' us?"

Rufus looked bored, "You are to be executed for causing this situation. People are ignorant. They'll feel better as long as someone is punished."

" I take back what little praise I had for this damn jackass!" Barrett stepped in front of Tifa.

She had to agree, He had saved their lives, but just to take them now.

"I'll tie your arms now." Heidegger grinned and motioned for the soldier to do so. Rufus took one last glance to the both of them before leaving.

Tifa wanted to just sit and cry, however she was being lead down the long hallways of Junon. Soldiers surrounded them, occasionally pushing Barrett along.

'Might as well get this over with… meteor has been summoned… perhaps this is what's best…' she thought to herself.

Tifa finally looked up to see a small group of people seated. The blonde older woman Scarlet stood at a podium. Above her was a giant screen of what looked to be like a chair.

"Is everyone here? These are the ones who brought this maddess into the world!" Scarlet pointed her gloved hand at Tifa and Barrett.

Some of the crowd boo'd at them and even tried to throw their cups and paper at them.

"The hell are these people?" Barrett dodged a balled up paper.

"We will be broadcasting your miserable deaths live on national television!" she laughed talking to a large reporter.

The reporter wore a light brown trench cloak, a bit too long for him. He even had a scarf around his face and to top it all off, a reporters fedora. "Scarlet, why a public execution in this day and age?" he questioned.

"With the shaos resulting from the meteor reports, we desperately need to rally public support… It's better that we punish somebody." She grinned at Tifa.

"You make me sick!" Tifa clenched her teeth in anger. The depressing thoughts now out the window, she wanted to get free and pummel this bitch.

Scarlet let out an obnoxious laugh, "They'll never admit it, but everyone loves this stuff. We'll start with this girl." She moved to roughly pull Tifa by the arm.

"No! If you've gotta do it, do me first!" Barrett yelled out, he was held back by several soldiers.

Scarlet giggled some, "Camera, this way! Make sure you get this, the audience just eats up tearful goodbyes!"

Tifa was pulled up on stage and pushed into a the gas chamber. She noticed the camera inside focused on the chair next to the door. Tifa felt the bindings cut from her.

"Ah!" she winced holding her wrist; she was bleeding.

Scarlett pushed Tifa to stand before the chair. The older woman glared at Tifa from head to toe.

"What are you doing?" Tifa nursed her wrist.

"This is my special gas chamber. Take your time, and enjoy a slow… painful.. death." She grinned.

Tifa was pushed into the chair and quickly bound. She struggled but found it useless to escape.

Scarlet approached Tifa sneering down at the fighter. "Stuck up ^%$#&!" she ungloved her hand and brought it down hard against Tifa's face.

Tifa noted the stars and the pain on her cheek. She heard the door shut and quickly regained herself, looking around to see if she could find any way to get out.

"Well now, the show's about to begin!" she could hear Scarlet's voice via speaker.

Tifa struggled against the bindings when the sirens suddenly went off. She looked around confused.

=Emergency! Emergency! Weapon's approaching! Attention all military personnel: take your positions=

Tifa could hear the crowd outside scream in panic.

"Oh no! It's weapon!"

"Run!"

"Hey, hey! All of you!" she could hear Scarlet curse, "Damn! Why now?"

"How does it feel now Scarlet?"Tifa could hear the reporter speak again.

"Hmm, So you didn't run? I'm impressed." Scarlet's voice sounded amused, "How do I feel? Right now… Nngaaah!"

Tifa fought against the bindings again. It sounded like Scarlet had passed out.

"Huh?" She could hear Barrett, "Sleeping gas?"

"I'm here to help!"

Tifa smiled and relaxed some. "Cait…"

"Why you? Ain't you part of Shinra?" Barrett spoke out.

"Let's just say I'm against capital punishment. Besides… I hate this broad. Come on, we gotta help Tifa. I'll keep watch at the entrance."

"Aeris always trusted Cait… I am glad you are with us…" Tifa spoke softly to herself.

Tifa heard a hissing sound come from above. Looking up to the sound she noticed a green gas seeping in. "Gas!"

"Fools! I've already.. pushed the switch" she could hear Scarlet mumble before passing out again.

Tifa turned to the door hearing it jiggle some, "Tifa! It won't open!"

Tifa panicked, she pulled more at the bindings "Barrett help!" She called out.

"Hold your breath! Hold on as long as you can!"

Tifa wanted to hit herself in the face with the palm of her hand, "Come on! I can't hold forever!" She took a steady breath before holding it.

"Shi-… The gas room's probably locked from a different room!" Barrett spoke out to Cait.

"Hmm, we gotta go with a different plan. Let's get out of this room first."

Tifa turned to the door, they couldn't leave her, they were coming back right?

"Tifa!" She heard Barrett call out, "I'll help you, I promise!"

Tifa could hear the a door bash open… She was alone. Tifa looked around for anything to help her. She soon found a key on the ground. Taking a breath low to the ground she scooted her hips off the chair to try and move the key closer.

'Scarlet… must have dropped it when she hit me.' Tifa smiled inwardly.

She dragged the key closer and using both feet managed to bring the key up to grab at it with her teeth. She moved it around in her mouth and leaned in to get her right hand free. She was starting to feel pain in her fingers and toes. The fighter managed to get the key in the hole, using her teeth again she turned it freeing her hand. Tifa's eyes widened some at the site of her wrist, it was red, the skin torn some and bleeding from her constant tugging. She quickly freed her other hand to find it in a worse condition. Nursing it still from the earlier cut she got up and looked around.

'which button stops the gas?' she managed to find the control panel, after several guesses, the green gas stopped seeping in. It was however still fogged, not enough to kill her, but enough to cause more pain. The throbbing was now in her legs and arms. Tifa moved to the door and struggled to open it. A blast sounded out and Tifa ducked as sparks showered the room. Tiny burns spotted her skin and clothes. As soon as it was over she looked up to see that Weapon had created a hole, just perfect enough for her to escape out of.

"What d'you do?" Scarlet had finally woken up and was pulling at the door, "Hey! Open it!"

Tifa shook her head, "First you lock me in this weird place, now you're telling me to come out?" she scoffed rolling her eyes, "Make up your mind!"

Tifa climbed up the room with the help of the gas piping and looked outside. Wind harshly blew at her face. Tifa could see large waves crashing far below. Weapon was nowhere in sight… did Rufus kill it? Or did it flee? Being careful of her footing she climbed out of the room and looked for a good place to get herself down. She heard the door open from in the chamber.

"Gotta get out!" She didn't care where she was going, she had to get down and away from Shinra… She couldn't fight them in her condition.

Using window sills she made quick work of the climb, with one final jump she was on the Junon cannon. Tifa dashed down the barrel, closely followed by two soldiers and Scarlet.

Tifa reached the end of the cannon out of breath. She looked over to jump and found herself dizzy being so high up. The fall would kill her.

"Our little game of hide and seek ends here." Tifa found herself blocked off. Scarlet grinned also out of breath, "The execution may have been unsuccessful, but your death by falling from here and crashing into the water below still might be pretty exciting."

Tifa watched as Scarlet approached. The older woman raised her hand and brought it down slapping Tifa again.

"Stuck up to the end!" She hissed at the fighter.

Tifa held her cheek, with her arms numb she brought her hand back striking the older woman back, "Quit slapping me you old hag!"

Scarlet fell back holding her cheek, "God!" she glared at the fighter, "Take her away!" she yelled to the soldiers, "Now it's time to pay up. I'll really drop you down if you don't settle down" she grinned.

"Run!"

"Run to the end of the cannon!"

Tifa heard Barrett and Cait, without a second thought she turned sprinting down. The soldiers start to fire their guns.

She hoped to Gaia to not get hit, as she reached the end, she smiled at the site of a large airship flew up before her. Tifa laughed seeing Barrett in the undercarriage tossing her the rope ladder. Tifa jumped off catching the steps and held on as the airship took off. She slowly climbed up and took Barrett's hand.

"You ok?" she smiled down at her.

Tifa collapsed to her knees tired, "My cheeks hurt a bit… Forget about that, what's all this?" she motioned to the airship.

"Well, I'll catch the details later." Cait grinned, "In any case, the airship, Highwind, is now yours" he soon bounded off.

Tifa smiled and got up with the help of Barrett, she heard a groan come from behind her.

"Urk.." Yuffie lying on the deck looked green as ever, "Well…. I'm glad you're safe. I'm going to stay down here a little longer." She leaned over to spill the contents of her stomach overboard, "I can't ride ships either in the air or water…" she cried.

Tifa smiled at the ninja before following Barrett. She still held her bleeding wrist.

Inside the Highwind, Tifa stood in awe… there was a crew moving to put things away and cleaning.

"What's with the crew?" Tifa's words were overheard by the lead crew member.

"Well, working on the Highwind, we spent every day slaving under Heidegger. Whenever he got yelled at by the President, he'd immediately take it out on the crew." The crew member put down a box of rice he was carrying, "We put up with this all the time. Even when he beat us. I mean, I finally made it on the crew of the famous Highwind, and there's no way I was going to quit over him." The crew member brought a hand up to his chin in thought, "Let's see, it must've been a week ago… it was my shift and we were heading towards the north cave. Everyone, including the President and Scarlet got on."

Tifa giggled some as the crew member continued, his eyes sparkling.

"And with them, I saw Cid, a legendary Pilot! And he was looking around the inside of the ship looking really, y'know, nostalgic… He even talked to us. I couldn't believe it! I was so impressed! He was every it as warmhearted as we'd always heard. Cid said that if he had the Highwind, things would be a lot easier. And now here we are off to save the planet. It's true, he really overwhelmed me. And that's why we have decided to help. After the North Cave, we went to Junon, and I started screaming 'Fire, Fire'. In the middle of all the commotion, we stole this ship from the Shinra. That's how it happened. Just a minor mutiny against our leaders." He winked, "But Barrett and you were captured by Heidegger… we waited seven days for a chance to rescue you guys, before we finally could. So thanks to our successful mission, we were able to see you again."

Tifa laughed at the story, she wished she could have been awake for it. It sounded like Cid had a lot of fun with the crew members.

"I hope I didn't bore you too much with my long story." The crew member blushed.

Tifa shook her head, "Not at all."

She turned to see Barrett on a catwalk leading up to the bridge of the airship. He seemed angry at the small stuffed Cait in front of him. Tifa slowly approached overhearing.

"Dammit! Why didn't ya tell me you could fly an Airship? I thought… Tifa was gone for good…"

"Sorry, but I had to do something to trick the enemy. Come on! Everyone is waiting." Cait grinned a Cheshire cat grin and bolted off.

"Everyone?" Tifa felt her chest tighten at the thought of Cid, Red, Cloud and Vincent being there.

Tifa ran into the bridge looking around. The first person she noticed was Cid, he turned from cursing at a panicked crew member at the helm and grinned at Tifa, "Welcome to my airship…. The Highwind!" he laughed proudly.

Tifa looked around more, she noticed Red and Barrett talking with each other. Cait was resting against a control panel. She couldn't find Vincent or Cloud.

"What's wrong? You should be more excited than that" Cid huffed.

"Cid…" Red warned.

"Not enough crew…" Tifa sighed some.

"What's that sad face for?" Barrett questioned.

"Well, it takes all kinds you know." Cid took out a smoke.

"Do you think we aren't strong enough without everyone here?" Red questioned. "Do you think we can't save the planet alone?"

Tifa thought about that question however a bigger question was haunting her mind. Just where was Cloud and Vincent. She shook her head some, "Meteor is coming, and Weapon is on the rampage… at a time like this, I don't know what I'm supposed to do. No idea at all."

"Get a hold of yourself Tifa! C'mon, let's think about this!" Barrett huffed, "No way we can get offa this train we're on!"

Tifa smirked some, "If Cloud was here, everything would be fine… he would… Stand that cocky little way he did" Tifa moved mimicking, "and tell us what to do. He'd say… 'Everything's under control, Tifa.'"

Barrett scoffed, "Tifa! When'd you become such a wimp?"

The fighter shook her head, "I'm sorry Barrett… I'm kind of shocked myself. I'm so depressed…"

"And Tifa… the reason why we all thought it was Cloud was because…" Red whimpered some.

"I know…" Tifa bit her bottom lip some, she had to find the real Cloud… "That's why I want to make sure. That's why I have to see him again."

"Cheer up Tifa." Red grinned.

Tifa forced a smile on her lips with a nod.

"Man, does Cloud always gotta be around? We did fine without him in the beginning right? An' what happened to the tough girl I used to know? Where'd she go to?" Barrett fumed.

"Hey you! What the hell are you doing?!" Cid cursed at his pilot in training.

Tifa turned her attention to Cid, he took a drag from his cigarette and met eyes with Tifa, "I want you to know that I didn't dislike him. Gotta admit he was a strange dude. Just when you thought he was cool, he'd go and do some damn fool thing. And when you thought he was smart, he'd show how stupid he was. Everything about him from his movements to his speech were kind of odd. Knowin' what I do now, I can see why he was that way." Cid tossed the butt into an ashtray, "Well, as long as you stay alive, you just might see him again someday, so cheer up sis."

Tifa nodded with a genuine smile gracing her lips, "Yeah… I'll be able to see him someday."

"If we can find out where he is, the Highwind'll get us there in no time" Cid turned his attention back to the pilot in training.

"Maybe Cloud is still stuck deep in the North Crater?" Red walked up looking to Cid and Tifa, "Maybe the ground cracked and swallowed him up. Buried in the depths of the underground?"

"Deep within the earth… are you talking about the Lifestream?" Tifa questioned thinking about it.

"The Lifestream sometimes gushes out of the surface from cracks in the ocean floor. I've heard that such a place exists. Maybe… just maybe."

Tifa nodded with a smile, "Maybe Cloud is there."

"Well before we go I have to show this moron how to land the ship" Cid pinched the bridge of his nose frustrated, "Why don't you go to your room and get ready for our operation?"

Tifa nodded and looked around once more before sighing and leaving the bridge. She noticed Yuffie had managed to crawl her way just before the catwalk to the bridge.

Tifa smiled at the girl before making her way upstairs to where the rooms were at. She glanced to the doors to find them already labeled. Yuffie…Which was placed right next to the bathroom… Cid… Barrett… Tifa…. Vincent…Red… and finally Cloud.

Tifa stopped at her door, looking across her eyes lingered on Vincent's door. She sighed and entered her small room. It was cozy; there were several shelves that she would need to fill. A personnel sink, and a flip down bed that could be shut into the wall. Tifa pulled out the bed and sat on it looking around the room. With a depressed sigh she decided she would clean up her wounds. Her wrist had finally stopped bleeding, she needed to wash off the dry caked on blood. She moved to her sink and found no soap. Frustrated she left to see if there was any in the bathroom. As she exited she saw Vincent standing before her, his red eyes focused on hers.

"… So glad you are alright." His deep voice warmed Tifa up.

Tifa's eyes watered, she smiled and nodded to Vincent, thrilled to see he was on the ship, and yet nervous to be alone with him.

The Highwind lurched some, causing Tifa to fall into Vincent. He gently caught her, his red eyes closing a moment as if he was absorbing the feeling of her in his arms.

Tifa too felt warm in his arms, she stayed a moment before remembering that she needed to wash and eat. She pulled back a blush most likely on her face. "Ah… Excuse me…" She went to go to the restroom however was stopped. A golden claw had grabbed her elbow. She noticed the deep color in Vincent's eyes as he moved her to walk back into her room. The gunman gently pushed her to sit on her bed. He knelt before the fighter looking to her wrists.

Vincent removed his cloak, letting fall and gather at his feet.

Tifa felt her heart beat faster, she watched him confused and anxious… the empty pain inside her stomach gone and now replaced with a burning need. Her eyes drawn into his, her lips parted some, awaiting his move.

Vincent raised her hand up to his lips; those soft pale lips pressed against the back of her hand gently, his eyes remaining on hers while she watched the action.

Tifa swallowed the lump in her throat; she remembered to take a breath, her eyes drawn back into his.

He turned her hand over and looked over her wound, moving to sit next to her he moved her hand so that her fingertips lightly touched his cheek. His mouth slowly opened. He took her wrist into his mouth.

Tifa gasped at the action, his name left her lips in a hushed tone. She could feel his tongue lapping over the wound, slow and lovingly in circles. It was soothing and warm, shivers ran up her spine. She melted to his touch.

Vincent nipped at the palm of her hand, and then moved to place soft kisses along the cut. His eyes moved back to Tifa's.

The fighter smiled, her cheeks felt as if they were on fire. She gazed back into the amber orbs and leaned in softly.

Vincent also leaned in close, his breath was slow and warm against her face. He avoided her lips, instead moving to take the lobe of her ear between his teeth. He nibbled and pulled, his human hand wrapping around her waist.

Tifa moaned at the touches. She was dizzy with arousal. Her hands found their way to his back and weaved into his silky hair. She couldn't believe this was happening… or rather why. "Vincent… what... What is going on?" she managed to whisper out.

"To find that you were gone… even to be placed upon execution to the public… I felt a pain. You are my strength… as well as my weakness." He let his eyes reflect a smile.

At awe with his words, Tifa threw herself upon the gunman and into a passionate kiss. He ravished her lips back, laying her down on the bed. Moving between her legs Tifa revel in his weight on top of her. She could feel his hips grind into hers. She wanted…. No needed him to show her more passion, and more affection. She wanted to be touched more, the burning in her abdomen would not cease.

Tifa looked to the man above her, his red eyes on her, he was absorbing her beauty. Tifa felt the straps of her suspenders loosen from her shoulders. Her shirt was removed soon after. Laying in only her sports bra and skirt, Tifa moved to unbutton the top few on his shirt. He complied allowing her hands to pull out his shirt from its tucked position. She pulled the soft fabric over his head taking the bandana with it. With his upper body exposed she glanced at him with hungry eyes.

His pale body was lean and muscular. He had faint red scars riddling throughout. His chest appeared to have been cut open multiple times, the scaring still angry even with all his years of sleep. His stomach was a discolored deeper brown, as if it was bruised. His human arm unaffected, however the strange gauntlet seemed to be attached at the bicep. The metal sinking into his skin looked painful. She continued to linger along his half naked body, he had several healed up circles around his neck, no doubt to place feeding and breathing tubes.

Tifa looked up to see him studying her, waiting for her reaction to this mutilation. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself to press her lips along his scarred neck and chest. Vincent let out a small growl, wrapping his claw arm around her waist. Tifa could hear tearing of fabric; her sports bra now torn off, she could feel his heated skin against her bare chest.

His silky black hair curtained around her, she moved from kissing his chest, back to his lips. Tifa could feel his claw softly rake up her thigh. Tifa's hips rose, grinding against his hardened member.

Her mind fluttered with thoughts, she was here with Vincent… was she ready to give herself to him? Yes… She didn't care if he would stay with her, if he decided to regret this decision after; she wanted to receive this gift, to receive pleasure from her tall, dark, and handsome man. To say that Vincent had loved her, even if it was just for a moment would be enough. This man had brought her both pain and happiness since they had met; now she was about to receive pleasure.

Vincent nipped at her bottom lip, moving back to her jaw. His lips trailed down to her chest. Licking the soft skin between her mounds she moaned his name. If it wasn't for the occasional tender bites he would give her, she would have thought that this was all a dream… this was however far too real to be a dream.

He let his tongue trail up to her perked bud. Tifa tangled her fingers into his hair, in ecstasy at the attention. He bit down engrossed with her reaction, wanting more. He pulled until she winced in both discomfort and desire.

"V-Vincent" She gasped.

"Tell me what you desire Tifa." He leaned close to whisper seductively into her ear.

"I desire you… please Vincent." She clung to him. The burning need was close to being unbearable.

Vincent sat up, both his hand and gauntlet pushing her skirt up. Tifa couldn't help but flush as he removed her underwear. He placed his hand over her core, leaning back down to claim her lips he slipped a finger between her nether lips to rub at her sensitive nub. Tifa moaned into his mouth, her hips raising, wanting more. She was already slick for him to enter, however he continued to tease her. She continued to squirm and grind into his hand.

Vincent grinned ever so slightly as his finger curled, entering her heated core. Tifa moaned out his name, she could feel him slide in and out at a slow pace. Tifa wanted more, this was the feeling she needed, but she needed him, his member.

"Vincent… please I need you." She begged with her chocolate brown eyes.

Vincent's red eyes met hers, he made swift work of his belt, and zipper. Removing his pants he positioned himself between her legs.

Tifa had suddenly begun to feel nervous. While he was occupied, she managed to sneak a glance at his member. It was quite impressive, and that worried her. She was still virgin, and he was an experienced man. He did remember that she had never done this right?

"V-Vincent…" She whispered with a worried tone, "I…"

"Shh.." he took her lips silencing her, "I shall be gentle." He assured her by caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers.

Tifa nodded with a smile, wrapping her arms around his neck she embraced him, now fully ready.

He entered her slowly. Tifa groaned at the full feeling, Vincent too panted at her tightness.

"It shall hurt, but this pain will not last." He growled into her ear.

Before Tifa could say another word he thrust in to her. The fighter's eyes went wide and she screamed into Vincent's shoulder. The sharp pain ripped into her lower half paralyzing her. "Stop! Please!" she pleaded.

"It shall end." Vincent panted into her ear.

As soon as he felt her relax some, he had begun to move slowly.

Pain had continued to throb as he thrust in and out of her. Tifa bit down onto his shoulder to try and suppress the pain. Like he said, the pain had begun to go away, and was replaced by a new feeling. Her teeth left his shoulder, now more relaxed, her mouth was left agape for her moans.

"Vincent… more." She said between thrusts.

He complied, gripping under her knee to lift her leg he thrust in deeper.

Her moans had gotten louder, she gripped the wall and the edge of her bed to stable herself. "Gaia… Vincent…." She panted.

"Tifa" he moaned back.

She could feel herself tightening around him. The burning inside growing more and more. She felt as if she was going to explode.

Screaming out her lovers name she climaxed. Her core tightened him, forcing him to finish inside of her.

He groaned burying himself deep within her before his seed filled her. He panted collapsing next to her, his hair wild covering his face.

Tifa took several deep breaths, her heart rate high from the sensual activity. She turned to her side gently brushing Vincent's hair away from his face. He opened his eyes, lovingly gazing at the fighter.

"Tifa…" he smiled softly.

She smiled in return, moving closer allowing him to drape his clawed arm over her. She kissed his chest, her eyes heavy, she had forgotten how hungry she was, all she wanted to do was drift off to sleep with the man she loved. Her stomach protested, growling.

A small chuckle came from the gunman. He sat up and moved to clean himself of the virgin mess before clothing himself. "We should get you something to eat."

Tifa frowned feeling cold. She looked down between her legs and blushed embarrassed. Covering herself with the blanket she got up on shaky legs. "Y-yeah…" She looked through the draws in the room to find that she had her clothing from her bag placed neatly inside. She also found some fluffy towels and washcloths. Warming the cloth in the sink she cleaned herself up neatly. Once finished, Vincent approached from behind to wrap his arms around her waist. He nuzzled into her neck and nipped at it once more before moving to leave her room. "See you at the bridge precious."

Tifa's eyes went wide; she glanced over at Vincent to see the yellow inside the iris's. "Galian?"

"Know that we love you Tifa... and missed you." He smiled exiting.

Tifa smiled back, her heart felt light with overwhelming joy. He had successfully controlled Galian, and was starting to come around.

"I love you too."


	25. Turmoil in Mideel

Oh my what a weekend.

I know I am late and I greatly apologize… I promise to make it up to you all. ^^;

**Numinous-Alqua: **Ah ^^ I am happy. It was the first time I have written anything like that. I am glad you liked it.

**x Euphoria:** Thank you so much for reading! And yes it was gruesome at first writing _ I wanted to skip so much but, this isn't Tifa and Vincent's final fantasy.

Thank you both so much for your reviews and of course thank you to my readers.

I found it very hard to write this chapter. You will see.

I am so sorry for being late again please enjoy,  
Miss Ti

_-_-_-_~~~_-_-_-_

Tifa moved back onto the bridge of the Highwind, her cheeks flushed some as she looks around. She found Vincent standing arms folded at a darker area where several pipes ran from ceiling to floor.

"Everything appears calm right now at Shinra." Cait held his ear as if listening, "So now's the time to look for Cloud. I'm worried about him." Cait then paced, his tiny feet making a small scuffle on the floor, "I wonder where he could be… or could he already be."

Barrett let out a chuckle, "Whenever I think of Cloud, everything gets all jumbled up. No matter how powerful Shinra or Hojo is, I can't believe they can create humans."

Tifa frowned some; there was no way that Cloud was created…

"But because of them, we know that Meteor is heading towards us…" The now metal fist wielding man continued, "Y'know, even if I saw him, I don't have a damn idea what I'd do."

Tifa looked over to Vincent, what would she do if she did find Cloud. He had been more protective of her lately since Aeris's death. She didn't need his approval to date others, but by the way he was acting, she would have thought that he still loved her. Just how long is long enough to feel the need to find someone new after the death of a loved one? For Vincent, it had been decades…

"Too much hope is the opposite of despair…" The gunman's voice carried over the group. His eyes shifted from looking to the ground up to meet Tifa's, "An overpowering love may consume you in the end…"

Her brows furrowed, just what did that mean… did he think that she was still in love with Cloud? After what they had just been through? Well… she did still love her old childhood friend, but it was like a different love… it wasn't as strong as the love she felt for Vincent.

"There appears to be a small island near the Lifestream..." Red interrupted the fighter's thoughts, "They say the Lifestream sometimes suddenly gushes out at the south island. I remember hearing about this from Seto when I was a child, but I don't remember much else…" Tifa looks to the lion like creature for more information, he however shakes his head. "That's all I know, I'm sorry Tifa."

She smiled moving to tussle his mane some and moved closer to Cid, "Well… Perhaps your grandfather might know some more." She smirked.

"Huh? Who's grandfather?" Cid scratched his head confused.

"Bugenhagen!" Cait jumped up.

"We going to Cosmo Canyon!" Barrett grinned.

Tifa places her hands on her hips, pointing out to the mass of land past the sea. "Let's go!"

Cid bit into the filter of his cigarette slapping his trainee in the back. The ship lurched some and the pilot screamed correcting the Highwind. Setting the course they flew off.

Tifa approached the bridges view, looking to water as they passed. The ship ride she had taken felt so long, crossing over air however shortened the trip. She turned back to see that Vincent was starring at her, his eyes seemed to brighten as he watched her make her way to him.

"Enjoying the view?" his voice held some amusement.

Tifa nodded with a large smile, "Of course! I have not been on a flying ship before… if you recall I never made it on the short lived Tiny Bronco."

She could hear Vincent chuckle some, he turned his attention to an eavesdropping pilot, "Excuse me Tifa…" Vincent stepped past Tifa to leave the bridge. She smiled watching him leave with those graceful steps, almost as if he was floating.

Vincent moved to walk past Cid, as he done so he shoved the pilot into his trainee.

Tifa held onto the pipes as the Highwind reeled to the side and into a small nosedive Cait hit the wall, Barrett clung throwing an angry fit and Red dug his claws causing the metal to screech. Vincent continued on leaving the bridge not fazed by the crooked ship.. With a cuss Cid corrected the large aircraft shaking his fist angrily at the gunman.

Tifa giggled watched as Barrett and Cid fought with one another. She decided to check on the airsick Yuffie, hoping that she was safe. Leaving the bridge she found the ninja upside down against the wall. Her face a ill shade of green.

"Why…. Why must they do this to me?" She groaned.

Tifa shook her head moving to help the girl up. She slung the younger girl's arm over her shoulder and made for the rooms. "It's alright Yuffie, we are going to Cosmo Canyon… we are almost there."

"Urp... good.." She covered her mouth with her hand.

Tifa helped Yuffie straight into the bathroom, figuring the ninja would be in there for the remainder of the trip she decided to walk down the small hall and glance over at Vincent's door.

Her cheeks flushed with the thoughts of what happened earlier and she found herself knocking on the metal entry.

Vincent opened the door and looked to Tifa, his eyes questioned her.

"Uh-hi?" she grinned shyly. "I was just… well…" She was at a lost on what she should say.

Vincent moved aside signaling her to enter.

She smiled taking a large step from the hall into the dark room. She glanced around to see that some of his belongings were already placed on the shelves…. Old guns and ammo littered the shelves. Perfectly taped to the wall near his bed was the photo that was taken while on the speed ride at Gold Saucer. Tifa moved closer to his bed bending over to get a better look. She sighed at her face; eyes clamped shut, mouth open for a soundless scream. Her arms wrapped around Vincent's arm.

"I need to give you a better picture…" Tifa huffed some turning. She noticed him leaning against the wall watching her. She tilted her head some; he had not spoken a word to her.

Her heart dropped some, did he really regret what he had done? "Vincent? Is everything alright?"

He slowly closed his eyes with a nod, "Everything is fine."

Tifa reached around grabbing the tail to her long hair. She combed the strands even more nervous. "Oh… It's just that you are really quiet…"

Vincent let out a small chuckle, "I am merely controlling myself from taking you a second time."

Tifa blushed looking away some, "Well… I…" Her mind flashed with the memories of earlier. "There is nothing wrong with that." She flushed more looking to the floor, "As long as it's you…"

"Tifa…" Vincent's voice almost sounded as if it was warning her. Perhaps Galian was telling him to do so, especially after I had just invited him.

Tifa's eyes met Vincent's, for a split moment she noticed the yellow trying to fight its way into control… Galian however failed to do so.

The fighter stepped closer to Vincent, just close enough their clothing to touch. Reaching up, she unclasped his cloak and pushed it off his shoulders. Tenderly she intertwined her hands around his neck and pulled herself up to meet his lips.

He kissed her hungrily, as if starved for her attention. Their tongues danced with one another as Tifa felt his and claw rake up her sides, pulling her skirt up, she could feel the cold air gently kiss her upper thighs.

=Highwind is arriving at Cosmo Canyon… Everyone off!=

She felt Vincent reluctantly pull back. The Highwind dipped causing those butterflies to appear for a moment. She backed away fixing her skirt looking away from Vincent.

Embarrassed to boldly seek him, she moved to leave the room, but stopped when his human hand grabbed hers. Vincent pulled her some so that she was facing him and brought her hand up to place a kiss upon it.

Tifa watched the action, awe struck at the gesture. Looking to his eyes she noticed that they looked different; black had rimmed the outside.

"Tifa…" he smiled a moment before lowering her hand to her side and moving to retrieve his cloak. Vincent turned back to Tifa, his eyes fully red. "Are you ready to find Cloud?"

Tifa brushed the strange color from her mind. Smiling she nodded and moved to leave the Airship…

Tifa took a breath as she reached the top of the long winding dirt path into Cosmo Canyon. Turning to look to the rest of the group, she wasn't surprised that Vincent wasn't at all out of breath, nor was she surprised that Cid sounded like he was hacking up a lung. What did surprise her was that Barrett had beaten Yuffie up. She was most likely weak from emptying her stomach.

Tifa gave Red a smile as he ran past her to meet up with the gate keeper.

"Nanaki! This is terrible. The color of that unlucky star…" he looked up to the meteor. "The children are all so scared that they won't even go outside. I'd rather not see it either."

Tifa looked up to the meteor. It tainted the sky around it red. She shivered at the thought that it was going to hit them and moved on. They continued their climb up to the observatory where Red's grandfather lived. Tifa climbed up with Vincent, and Red, the rest of the group split up to gather supplies.

She reached the top and moved inside after Red. Inside she found the purple clad floating man, happy to see his grandson. Bugenhagen smiled to Tifa, "Ho ho hoooo… No time to be humming now. The planet is nearing imminent death." He floated over his own kitchen table to get closer to the group. He looked Vincent up and down and them moved to a window that looked over the town. "Where is Cloud? Wasn't he with you?" He turned looking back to Tifa.

"That's why we're here… Cloud… Cloud has…" she scratched at her arm, a bit scared to tell him that Cloud was the one that brought doom to the planet.

"He fell into the Lifestream, and we believe he is alive. He was acting not on his own will, and brought the black materia to Sephiroth in the northern crater." Vincent finished.

"I see…" Bugenhagen scratched his chin, "Cloud has…" he floated over to a book shelf and pulled out an old map with green lines running along it. "It's true that there are several places on the planet where Lifestream is gathered. But most of those places are below the surface where humans cannot reach them." He pointed to the spot where the Northern crater was and followed a green line down, "There's only once place… an island floating in the Southern Sea…" he circled his finger around a set of islands, not too far off the coast where gold saucer was. "Yes… I think he may be here… but even if you find Cloud there… Life's dream is a mass of spiritual energy, and one person alone probably couldn't stand against such an incredible spiritual current."

Tifa smiled widely, "Thank you Bugenhagen… thank you so much!" She ran out the door, the others following behind her. Running down the steps to Cosmo Candle, the rest of the group stood anxious to know if they had a lead way.

"Let's fly, there are a band of islands… Cloud might be at one of them." She grinned.

"Where at?" Cid took out his own map and laid it down.

"Grandfather said right about here" Red pointed a clawed paw in the general area.

"That area? That's some backwater town called Mideel." Cid scratched his neck. "You sure?"

"He seems trustworthy enough." Vincent nodded.

"Well… alright then." Cid looked to the long trail down to the airship and sighed tossing his cigarette. He sighed and begun to trudge back down.

Back on the Highwind, Tifa stood down on the open deck below the bridge. She smiled to herself, the wind blowing her hair to the side.

She watched as land vanished beneath her and the seas appear.

"It is quite a view…"

Tifa looked up to see Barrett standing at the door. She nodded turning to face her old friend, "Yeah… I just can't get enough of being in the air.

"Teef…"

The fighter sighed some, she knew what was coming.

"You and that Vince dude… I don't like it." He folded his arms leaning against the doorframe.

"Well… What's not to like." Tifa turned her attention back mainly to the sea.

"Not like what? Just what is going on between the two of you?" He questioned her.

Tifa gripped the rails, "And what is it to you? Why do you need to know? What if we are seeing each other, what if we are just friends?" She bit back to him.

"You are my friend Tifa, and I look out for you." He appeared hurt by her words, "That guy isn't stable…"

"Neither is Cloud…" She softly spoke.

"I am not asking you to date anyone. Jes…. He's an old man now Tifa, people will talk, and he's got them monsters inside." Barrett shuddered.

"People don't care right now. They are all too concerned about Meteor… And you know what they say wont effect me…" She smiled thinking of Galian's words to her, "And Galian and Vincent are getting along better now."

"Tifa… I bunked with that dude…. He's not right in the head." Barrett now approached her, turning her to face him. "There is more than that wolf thing inside of him…"

Tifa wanted to turn back and brush off what he had said, but perhaps there was more to Vincent. "He will tell me when he is ready… He has already warned me about being around him."

"So you two are close huh?" Barrett smirked some.

"Well… I am not sure what we are yet… He however has come around to show me that he does care for me."

"And do you love him?" Barrett quirked a brow.

Tifa smiled with a blush, "Well… yes I do…"

Barrett scratched his chin some, "And what are your feelings for Cloud… I know you had something for him."

Tifa thought on the question only for a moment, "I do still love him… but it's just not the same anymore. I think I have moved on from my childhood crush."

"You gonna be able to tell him that?"

Tifa nodded.

"Well… jes be careful around him. I don't want to see ya getting hurt." Barrett rested his arms against the railings viewing at the sea with Tifa.

"You never did like them normal ones…" Barrett chuckled a bit, "When you brought that SOLDIER home with you that one day I wanted to beat some sense into you."

Tifa laughed some, "I know…"

"Then you wanted him to join AVALANCHE… I nearly blew my top off… and to pay that spiky ass too?" Barrett shook his head with a smile. "But it's brought us all here… saving the world in a way I couldn't imagine. I hope Biggs, Wedge and Jesse are proud."

Tifa closed her eyes, remembering her old lost friends. "I am sure they are and more."

Barrett stood tall and stretched, "Well, I heard Yuffie got me a new gun attachment… gonna get rid of this Shinra %$^." He moved to go back inside.

"Alright Barrett… Thanks for your concern." Tifa brushed back a hair watching him leave.

He nodded and brushed past Vincent whom was just inside making his way out.

"So how much have those sensitive ears heard?" Tifa grinned.

Vincent shrugged his shoulders some, "Just enough…"

"And what do you think?" Tifa intertwined her fingers behind her, stretching her chest out.

"I think it is best to remind you to always take caution around me."

Tifa frowned some, "I thought you were doing good with Galian?"

Vincent shook his head, "It is not Galian I am worried about… There are many monsters inside of me."

"Vince…" Tifa moved to embrace the gunman, "I trust you, and I know that you are strong enough… You will not hurt me."

Vincent stayed quiet. His arms raised to hold the small of Tifa's back and the back of her head in a tender embrace.

The fighter closed her eyes, enjoying his warmth as the Highwind sped across the sea.

"It appears that we are approaching the island." Vincent whispered to her.

"It's too soon…" She whispered back, "Just for a moment more…" Tifa clung to his chest.

"Indeed, but our party is still short one member…"

"Cloud… I do hope we find him here." She reluctantly pulled away.

Vincent nodded and turned to allow Tifa up first. She climbed a few stairs and turned around to look down to Vincent. He looked up to her curiously.

"You are more open with me now… you wouldn't hide anything from me… would you?"

Vincent stepped up, his height even with hers at her elevated stance. "You only need to ask."

"Just what is it that goes inside your head?" She brought her hand up to caress the side of his face.

"Many things… None for which you should be worried about." He replied smoothly.

Tifa sighed some, it was not the answer she was hoping to get, but perhaps it wasn't the best time or place to ask. She would need to be alone with him and the situation not so tense… Cloud could be right outside awaiting the Highwind's landing.

The group gathered outside the village. Tifa shielded her eyes from the setting sun to get a better look. Mideel looked to be quiet, steam rose from the distance. There was a large bamboo gate, in the distance Tifa could make out houses and shops just above it.

"Alright… Let's split up." Tifa turned to the group. "Barrett, you take Yuffie and Red… Cait, I want you to stay behind and record anything you might hear coming from Shinra pertaining to us or Sephiroth. Vincent and Cid are with me."

"Of course she would go with her boyfriend." Yuffie teased.

Tifa went red at the face while Cid and Red snickered. Barrett just glared at the gunman.

"It has been one week since Cloud was last seen… Your humor should be put on hold while we search." Vincent strode by the ninja approaching an old man sitting just outside the gate.

Cid rolled his eyes messing with Yuffie's hair joining the gunman.

"Well, in all seriousness, we will also stock up… Tifa can I have some gil?" Yuffie grinned.

"I have most of the funds… since Tifa and Barrett were absent for a time also." Cait pulled out a small bag from his Mog toy, "Just don't spend it all on Materia lassy!"

Yuffie quickly ran off with her group. Tifa approached Vincent and Cid listening in.

"We are just a nice quiet little hot springs town. Just the perfect place for old folks like us to live out our lives. I hear that tings ain't so peaceful on the outside. But here it's still nice and quiet." The old man smiled to the group.

"Nothing on Cloud." Vincent reported.

The man shook his head, "But then again something could have slipped in… I am not a guard" he chuckled.

Tifa nodded, "Thank you."

"Anytime… Anytime."

Cid stretched placing his hands behind his head moving on, "So what if he's not here?"

Tifa bit the bottom of her lip some, "He will be… I can feel it."

"Yeah… but in all actuality, what if he isnt?" Cid persisted.

"Then we shall search elsewhere." Vincent spoke out.

"Everything must come to an end!" A man yelled from outside a local store, "And someday it's gonna be your turn!" he pointed at Tifa. Surprised, the fighter stopped holding up her hands, "Even the world's gotta end sometime!" he continued on, "Everybody leaves at one time or another. And everyone gets left also! That's just fate…"

Tifa was pulled away from the man by Cid, "Eh don't listen to that crap."

Tifa nodded and looked to Vincent… His ageless face masked of emotions. His eyes met her briefly. Softly smiling she turned her gaze on the path before them. 'everyone leaves at one time or another… I guess in Vincent's case I will be leaving. He doesn't seem to age…' As soon as she was sure that he was looking to the road ahead, she glanced back at the gunman. 'is that something I want him to go through?'.

"Hey! Its some visitors!" A woman ran out of her house grabbing Cid by his short sleeved flight jacket, "Is it true? That the stars are gonna fall out of the sky? Is that for real?"

"What the hell?" The pilot cussed pulling the woman's hands off of him, "Stars? You mean Meteor?"

The woman shook her head, "I don't believe it! How could this happen?" she mumbled more moving back into her house.

"End of the world?" Another man approached with a bored look, "I don't know nothing about that… but I'm gonna live to be a hundred!" he laughed. Tifa couldn't help but smile at the man, "There's tons of stuff I still gotta do! This's just the beginning. And besides, what have Shinra and SOLDIER done about it? They're a waste."

"That's right! Shinra is nothing. AVALANCE will stop Meteor" Barrett could be heard as he came out of the weapons shop.

Cid and Tifa laughed while Vincent showed little amusement. They continued on their search for an hour, yet still no sign of Cloud. They had asked all the local houses.

"Well, I'm gonna get a bite to eat… only a few places left to check." Cid held his stomach.

Vincent nodded, "Perhaps it is best if we take a break."

Tifa agree'd, "Yeah, a short break." She watched as the two men go to get some food. Tifa kicks a few stones at her feet deep within her thoughts. She couldn't help but think of her childhood friend. She was anxious to find him, firstly to make sure that he was safe, and also to regroup the party… and yet deep in her heart she wished that she wouldn't have to explain herself. What the silver hair'd man said in her dreams was true… she hid from him that he was never in SOLDIER. Would he be mad with her? Would he hate her for it? With a sigh Tifa came across a brown dog. It looked weary and sad. Tifa knelt down and gave the dog a much needed pat on the head. He looked up to her with its brown eyes full of so much sorrow. "What's the matter? Are you all alone?"

The dog whimpers, laying it's head on her lap.

"You got lost didn't you? Separated from someone you love?" Tifa's thoughts trailed, back to Cloud. He was lost somewhere, his feelings for her were growing stronger, and yet she had moved on. It wasn't fair to Cloud, and yet she couldn't deny Vincent the love she felt. Tifa brought a hand up to hold her chest, right about her heart. She couldn't help but think the 'what if's' in her mind. If she had gone out with Cloud at Gold Saucer; would they share a passionate kiss on the gondola ride? What would it be like giving her first time in bed with the swordsman instead of Vincent… Tifa chuckled to herself some her eyes watering. She was still somewhat in love with Cloud. She missed him… She needed to see him again to be sure if Vincent was her choice.

"….guess it's been about a week now since he washed up here on the shore… Poor pokey-headed young thing…"

Tifa looked up, her thoughts broken by a group of men talking in the middle of the street.

"It was really sad," An older man agreed, "but weird… he was holding this really long sword." He held out his hands as if measuring it and then shrugged, "The whole thing feels unlucky to me. But the amazing thing was those weird blue eyes."

Tifa shot up, the dog jumping back surprised, "Wh…. Wait a minute! Excuse me!" she ran over to the old man, "What did you just say? The person that you were talking about?"

Cid and Vincent were just returning with a tray of food. They looked to one another then ran up to the fighter.

The old man looked to Tifa and the two men with her surprised and nervous, "Y-yeah… A villager found him a little ways down the coast… It was about a week ago I think.

The other man that he was talking to was bald, he adjusted his half moon glasses nodding, "yeah, poor kid… He must've drifted from somewhere pretty far away…"

Tifa's heart swelled, "Cloud! It must be! It's Cloud!" Tifa turned to Vincent and Cid with a large smile.

"You've found him" Vincent nodded.

"Heh, Well what do you know… Good job Tifa" Cid grinned.

Tifa turned back to the older man, "So where is he? Is he safe? Where is he now?"

The bald man answered instead, pointing up to the local clinic, "yeah.. up ahead here at the, uh, clinic."

"He's alive!" Tifa couldn't believe it. Cloud was really alive. She could run up and apologize for the lies, and help him through this tough time. They could travel once more together again and defeat Sephiroth, "Cloud!" Tifa moved between the men and ran up to the clinic.

"Whoa! Wait up!" Cid yelled out.

Tifa acted as if she didn't hear him. Sprinting as hard as she could she reached the clinic at the back of the village. Busting through the door she looked around to see that it was a small clinic, the rooms separated by clean white sheets. Tifa first found the doctor; he stopped shuffling through some papers to look to Tifa.

"Here now... The way you're running around here, you'd think Meteor fell or something." The doctor placed the papers down and re-adjusted his glasses.

Tifa took a few breaths before speaking, "I'm sorry, but I heard that a friend of mine was being taken care of in here…"

Vincent and Cid arrived, the pilot wiping what appeared to be a ketchup blob off of his jacket, the tray of food most likely fell as Tifa bolted from them.

"A friend?" the doctor thought, "Oh, yeah! That young fellow?!" The doctor moved to pick up a file, most-likely Cloud's. "Your friend is next door, but-"

"Over here?" Tifa looked to the curtain dividing the room. Brushing past Cid she rounded the curtain wall to find the blonde swordsman seated in a wheelchair, his head down staring into his lap.

Tifa's heart fluttered, he looked perfectly healthy; not a scratch on him. "Oh! Cloud!" She fell to her knees. She didn't realize how much she had missed him. "I'm so glad you are safe." She waited for Cloud to acknowledge her, to say something… to look at her. "Cloud?" she leaned in from her fallen position to try and meet eyes.

He slowly moved his eyes to hers. They held nothing within them, no fierceness, sadness, happiness…. Nothing.

He groaned looking confused.

"Cloud…. What happened to you?" She reached for his hand.

"Mako poisoning…" The doctor moved around the corner standing between Cid and Vincent, "Quite an advance case… It appears this young man's been exposed to a high level of Mako energy for a protracted period of time. He probably has no idea who or where he is now… Poor fellow, his voice doesn't even work. He is literally miles away from us. Some place far away where no one's been. All alone."

Tifa's heart sank, shattering into a million pieces. She let go of Clouds hand and moved it to gently touch his face, she had forgotten that she was in the room with Vincent and placed her forehead against his. Her Cloud was lost… With tears streaming down her face, Tifa turned to the medical man, she didn't want to hear anymore "Doctor!"

"Damn that's evil" Cid winced some.

Tifa's eyes moved from the doctors to Vincent's. He stood looking down at her with his eyebrows drawn together looking to her confused.

The doctor cleared his throat, "Let us excuse ourselves… Would you all mind waiting outside?"

Tifa watched as Vincent left first. Cid sighed soon after leaving with the doctor. Tifa turned around franticly, her mind only set on her friend in front of her. This was worse that Cloud being angry with her. She moved closer to rest her head on his lap, the tears streaming freely, "Why… what do you want me to do?" She looked up to Cloud, his expressionless face haunted her, "Please, Cloud… Talk to me… Tell me you see me, that you can hear me… Tell me please!" she begged. In the back of her mind she could feel Sephiroth's mocking laugh, she shook her head grabbing both of his hands, "I came this far believing in the memories we have together… This isn't happening… This is too cruel.. Oh Cloud… I.." Tifa choked back a sob, "Cloud I love you… I can't have you like this… Please Cloud tell me you love me… Tell me you hate me!"

The nursed moved to hand Tifa several tissues.

The fighter took them wiping her eyes, "Cloud… I lost you when you left Nibelheim… and now… I lost you to Sephiroth." Tifa glanced up to the nurse, "Is… is there a way to help him?"

The nurse's smile was forced, Tifa could tell, "There is always hope."

Tifa finished cleaning her face, she looked to Cloud and gently ran her fingers through his hair. "Cloud…"

With a long breath and new found determination, Tifa turned to leave. She opened the clinic door and noticed everyone was outside surrounding the doctor.

"You okay?" Barrett spoke out first.

"Yes… I am sorry I had you all worried… I have something I want to tell you all." Tifa turned back inside. Her chest felt heavy with dread, but this must be done. She felt like she needed to do this. Standing by Cloud she watched everyone file in, their eyes on her.

"I…" her eyes moved to Vincent. It was like he knew what was coming. Those eyes that once held emotion for her were cold. She bit back the pain, "I don't care about anything else… Only Cloud. I… I want to be by his side."

The room was quiet, after a small silence, Barrett spoke out, "Yeah… That's probably best. For Cloud, an' you."

Yuffie scratched her arm looking down, "You gotta do it then… you gotta live true to yourself."

Red nodded his head, the combs clinking, "Yes…. That's best."

"Nya, if Tifa was my nurse, I'd switch places with Cloud any day!" Cait purred.

Tifa looked to Vincent, "Do what you wish." The words harsh, hitting her heart as if it was one of his bullets.

"Yeah…" Cid sighed, "Right… Well hang in there Tifa." Cid half smirked, she knew he didn't think this was right. But it needed to be done.

Tifa lowered her head, her bangs covering her eyes. They watered heavily, "I'm sorry, everyone… At a time like this."

"Why you apologizin'?" Barrett chuckled a bit, "We'll come back again an' check on ya."

"No big no big" Yuffie added.

"Hope Cloud gets better soon" Cait made his way to the door.

Red looked to Tifa before leaving, "Do your best Tifa. Take care of Cloud."

She nodded, looking up after feeling like her eyes wouldn't shed any tears. Vincent and Barrett remained.

"Tifa…" Barrett scratched his head some, "I don't like askin' this but… Is he really your childhood friend? And not Sephiroth's shadow?"

Tifa blinked surprised, "Huh? I'm sure of it." She let a small smile escape.

"Yeah? Okay then… Sorry for askin' that. We gotta get back to the Highwind." Barrett turned looking to Vincent before leaving.

Tifa swallowed hard, her eyes drawn back to Vincent. He stared at her before turning to leave.

Tifa collapsed to her knees clutching her chest. She tried her best to not cry, she didn't want Vincent to hear, but the sobs came out. Tifa covered her face with her hands lost in thoughts.

She wanted to tell Vincent how much she loved him, but after all the damage she caused Cloud, she needed to take care of him. She needed to be there for Cloud.

Tifa looked over to Cloud, he looked down to his lap, his mouth slowly opening. "Uh… a… ah…" he managed to get out.

Tifa smiled softly. She stood up and pulled Cloud over to a hospital bed. Sitting she watched Cloud for hours, just enjoying sitting there with him across her.

The nurse came in after knocking on the metal pole holding the curtain wall up, "Miss? If you like I can watch him while you get yourself something to eat?"

Tifa nodded, getting up she gave Cloud another glance and left the clinic. It was dark and humid. Tifa stretched and looked around. She felt very alone in this place. Making her way over to the local pub she noticed above the tree line that the Highwind did not leave yet.

Tifa stopped just before entering and felt a fear rise within her. She didn't want to see Vincent yet…

Tifa snuck over to a window and glanced in, she noticed the group there except for Cait and Vincent. Feeling better, she moved inside and past her friends ordering a meal to go. Barrett approached the counter, leaning on it he spoke softly, "Hey… we spending the night here… You okay? You seemed really upset back there."

Tifa nodded, "Yeah… I'm fine."

Barrett smiled some, yet knew that she was hiding her true emotions. "Well… you have the PHS… Just give us a call anytime." Barrett moved back to sit with the group.

Tifa watched the chef cook her meal. She had forgotten about the phone. With her meal packed in a box, Tifa waved goodbye to the group and left for the clinic. On her way back she looked up to the sky. She stood in awe at all the stars that sparkled in the night sky. They were more vibrant here, perhaps it was from the Lifestream releasing now and then here.

She looked back down to her feet and kicked a few stones as she walked up the long road. When she finally reached her destination, she looked back to the Highwind. "Perhaps I should get some of my clothes… I might be here a while."

Tifa placed her dinner inside and looked around. Still trying to avoid the gunman she sprinted back to the airship. She was careful with her steps as she boarded and moved up the stairs. Tifa rounded a corner out of breath, her heart beat heavily. Tifa wished she could stop her heart, with Vincent's hearing, he could most likely hear how nervous she was. Slowly she crept by Yuffie's room, then Barrett's and Cid's. She carefully opened her door, watching Vincent's door as if it could open at any moment. The fighter slipped into her room shutting it carefully and then rested against it.

Tifa moved quickly, grabbing her brown pack and stuffing extra clothes inside. She didn't bother keeping them neatly folded; she wanted to get out of there and back into the Clinic before anyone, especially him inside. Figuring that she had everything ready, Tifa carefully opened her door and peek out. She listened for footsteps but heard none. Tifa prayed to Gaia that he was asleep as she stepped out. Closing the door softly she begun to tiptoe back down to the deck. She was almost home free. Feeling more confident that Tifa would make it through, she took a sigh of relief feeling the outside air. She was about to jump off the Highwind when she felt a cold metal hand grasp her arm.

Tifa's feet froze in place, her body shaking with fear.

"You are not serious…" Vincent's voice sounded wicked, "Do you love Cloud? Do you love him so much as to stay with him? Forget about the planet in danger? Forget about me?"

Tifa clenched her fist, "I'm sorry Vincent… I didn't want to do this to you… but I need to stay with Cloud."

"And why… He seems quite content inside the clinic."

"Vincent he needs me. And I… I figured out that I needed him."

Vincent let go of her arm, but Tifa knew better than to run. She kept her eyes to the floor, so that she wouldn't be drawn into those ember eyes.

"You need him?" he circled her slowly, "I have been deceived before Tifa… I don't think you want to make this choice."

"Vincent… I..." Tifa took a heavy breath. In the back of her mind she could hear Sephiroth's taunting voice.

'You deceived him… just like she did so long ago… You know whom I am speaking of.' Sephiroth's voice rang into her mind. "Lucrecia"

Tifa shook her head, trying to free herself from the painful thoughts.

'Lucrecia ran to Hojo… Just like you are doing now with Cloud.'

"Vincent… I am so sorry!" Tifa fell to her knees, "But I can't just leave him here like this… He is like this because of me… If only I had been there for him… none of this would have happened."

"Then you regret us?"

Tifa shook her head, "No Vincent I don't… I just want you to know that I do care for you." She was torn, her thoughts jumbled inside her head.

"But you care for Cloud more…" he sighed.

"Vincent you are a special person, you are fast, strong, accurate… Cloud is just… just…"

"A normal human… So that is it…" Vincent growled some, "I didn't choose this life." He spat at her.

Tifa looked up to Vincent, her eyes wide in shock, "No! Vincent I-"

He approached her in swift strides, "I was ripped apart and experimented on after being shot for defending the woman I love!" the gunman continued, his eyes burning with rage. "I didn't have a choice to have these… these monsters put inside of me!"

Tifa looked away from Vincent holding herself, trying to defend herself against his harsh words, "Vincent please I didn't-"

"You fell for him… when you couldn't get to him, you used me… And now that he is free and injured… you are leaping at the opportunity." He calmed his voice some.

"No Vincent I didn't mean any of that… I… just…" She shook her head lost at what to say. "Vincent I love you."

Vincent watched her, "You can say that all you like… But in the end, I know where you will be. You live a fairy tale life Tifa… and the monster never wins." He moved to go back up the stairs into the Highwind but stopped abruptly.

Tifa clutched her arms, she wanted to jump up and embrace Vincent, but she just didn't have the strength. She watched as Vincent turned to face her, his eyes brimming with yellow.

"Filthy human… So weak." He turned back to move into the airship.

Tifa looked to the floor in front of her, this wasn't happening, this couldn't have happened. Vincent… he… he felt betrayed again. The scene running over and over through her mind. She grabbed at her head, tears continued to stream down her face, cooling her heated cheeks. Tifa bit her bottom lip trying to figure out just what had happened.

After what seemed to be like hours, Tifa found strength in her legs, she looked to the clinic in the distance, and then back inside the airship. She thought of running to his room, and confessing herself to him, and only him… but with the damage she had done to Cloud, she couldn't.

Tifa jumped off the Highwind and trudged her way back to the clinic, her heart felt empty; she had to force her legs to move.

Entering the clinic, she found it dark, the only light in the room was a small lamp at the desk the doctor had. The doctor turned hearing Tifa enter, "Your food is in the fridge…" he got up stretching and then took notice of her puffed eyes and tear stained face, "Is… everything alright?"

Tifa tried to wipe her face, she must have looked like a complete mess right now. She nodded forcing a smile. "Y-yeah… I am sorry I am back so late."

"Hm…" he nodded, it was none of his business to pry, but the woman would be taking care of his patient. "You may sleep on the hospital bed next to his chair if you like."

Tifa shook her head moving to get a look at Cloud, "No… I am fine. Thanks."

"Very well… but you should get some sleep. His condition hasn't changed since we first found him."

Tifa approached Cloud and sat on the floor with her legs bent to the side. She took his hand and pressed it against her face. She welcomed the warmth and sighed, trying her best to forget tonight's troubles. "Oh Cloud… I have messed up all around." She looked up into his blank stare, "But I know this is right… I am so sorry."

"Uh… a… ahhh" Cloud groaned out.

Tifa smiled some, happy to hear his voice. She placed his hand back down and wheeled him over to a hospital bed. "Cloud… You should get some rest." Tifa lifted him and managed to place him on the bed. She moved to get a blanket and covered him, tenderly brushing his hair after. "Get some good rest Cloud… I will be here for you."

Tifa then leaned over, and pressed a soft kiss against the swordsman's lips.


	26. Guilt, Finding the Path to the Real You

I'd promised to make up my delay ^^ here is another chapter.

**Numinous-Alqua: **Thank you so much for your review! And you will just have to wait and see just what lurks inside everyone's favorite gunman.

**x Euphoria:** Whenever I play the game I feel the same way lol. ^^ thank you again for reading and reviewing.

I am quite pleased with this chapter. You never know just what goes on inside Tifa's mind… so it is extremely fun to just imagine it.

Hope you all enjoy and thank you for reading,  
Miss Ti

Tifa had finished wiping Cloud's face with a cloth. She sighed throwing the wet towel into a nearby bucket of water. "Cloud… I don't understand what you are saying…" She frowned moving to clean up his bathing items, "I'm such a fool. I thought there was something that I could do for him." Tifa looked down at the water viewing her reflection.

It had been three days. She had been visited by Cid, Barrett and Yuffie earlier; the others were off finding information on items called the Huge Materia. Apparently Shinra was going to use them to destroy Meteor.

Tifa sighed, she really wished she could be out there fighting and having a great adventure, but Cloud was helpless. He couldn't eat, couldn't move much, couldn't even talk, and this happened all because of her lie… If she had just been strong and told him the truth, this could have all been prevented. Tifa sat across from Cloud, trying to remember their past together. With a heavy sigh she gave up. It was so long ago, and much too hard to remember with everything going on. Mostly she couldn't get her mind off of Vincent. The gunman had felt betrayed and with a good reason. His sensitive hearing had heard her confess to Cloud; Vincent's jealousy had taken over. He had lost Lucrecia so long ago, hiding his emotions when she ran to Hojo… He would never put up with that again. So he had confronted her those nights ago on the Highwind.

'Filthy human'

Galian's words haunted Tifa's memory. She never meant for any of that to come out as said. If she had gotten the chance to explain herself she could, but in the heat of the moment, it seemed to only make things worse.

What haunted her more were her dreams… Her once flower filled field was dying. She searched for friend in pink but ended up tired and alone. She was grateful Sephiroth didn't appear, but just how long will that last?

Tifa picked up a comb nearby and moved behind Cloud, gently combing his spiked strands.

"What… what number… am… I..." Cloud spoke out softly.

Tifa's eyes watered, "You are Cloud… Not some creation from Hojo." She wrapped her arms around the swordsman from behind. "What should I do…? What if you never recover for the rest of your life?"

Cid had come back; they had successfully retrieved the Huge Materia and decided to check in.

"How you holding up Teef?" Cid blew out some smoke from his cigarette's drag towards the door, much to the doctor's displeasure.

"I… I'm doing well.. Cloud is starting to speak some words… I just don't understand any of it."

"Ah… well… you are doing a great job Tifa… you should really get some rest though, perhaps a dip in that hot spring they got back there.

She shook her head with a smile, "I am alright… thank you though." The fighter placed her hand on Clouds shoulder

"Gias… Zeno…. Angels…" Cloud mumbled out.

"Alright then… if you need anything just give us a call." Cid held up his pinky and thumb signifying the wireless item.

Tifa nodded and went back to combing his hair. Tifa could hear the nurse talking with someone just on the other side of the curtain.

"No change in his condition, and still she stays there doing her best. I know it's tough on her, she looks so tired the poor thing. She must really love him to be right by his side at a time like this."

Tifa tried to see the shadows through the curtain, however couldn't. The person that the nurse was talking to had left.

Tifa looked to the ground, her heart beating heavy. Vincent hadn't visited before… so it couldn't be him. He was most likely still angry with her. She had moved to place the comb down when the ground begun to shake violently. Tifa held onto Cloud wheelchair panicked. She clamped her eyes shut when jars containing cotton ball and other medical equipment fell and shattered around her feet.

Cid stumbled back into the room she was in. He grasped onto the curtain wall ripping it down.

"They're… They're coming!" Cloud lifted his head as he spoke.

"What did you say?" Cid looked to the swordsman confused.

"Uh…aah" Clouds head lolled to the side.

"Damn. What the hell's goin' on?" Cid moved to a window looking out.

Tifa stepped next to Cid also looking out. She noticed a large creature flying around. It screeched swooping down causing the clinic to shake. Tifa held onto the interior of the structure with all her strength as if she could prevent it from falling.

The creature rounded above, doing the same with the other buildings. It was large and purple in color. It appeared to be two creatures merged into one with four legs and two arms, one of them wielding a sword. Tifa couldn't help but shake with fear; this creature was one of the weapons that flew out of the crater. "No way… Is that…"

The doctor joined them, "This isn't good."

The nurse screamed in the background as another earthquake begun.

Cid dashed for the door, with his natural leadership; since Cloud and Tifa had been gone; he had a firm grasp on what to do. He called the others on his PHS and readied his spear.

"Get your $$#$ down here! Weapon is attacking!" he yelled into the speaker.

Tifa stumbled to the door, holding onto the frame.

Cid quickly jumped back closer to Tifa as a green stream hissed through the ground, "What's this? The Lifestream is gushing up from below the surface of the earth!... This is bad."

Tifa strained to hear what Cid had said. Now more worried Tifa thought about getting ready to fight, "Cid? What's wrong?"

Cid turned and noticed the fighter; he waved her to forget about it, "N-nothing! You get inside and watch Cloud!" he yelled back at her.

"But i-"

"Hey, don't worry about a thing. I ain't about to die that easily." Cid grinned popping a cigarette between his lips.

Tifa hesitated a moment, "Be careful…" she walked inside and moved to Cloud. The nurse had finished checking him over.

"He's not injured" She smiled some to Tifa. The nurse was still really nervous.

"Thank you." Tifa smiled back. She kneeled, forgetting about the shattered glass to look up to Cloud, trying to see if he was having any reaction to the weapon just outside, he had none.

Tifa stood back up and brushed the side of his face with her fingertips before moving to watch the battle against Weapon. She wanted desperately to be in the battle; watching from afar was making her nervous. Yuffie was almost stepped on; Barrett appeared to have a weapon jam. Cid was taking a small smoke break and Red was trying to find a place where he could bite down on the strong creature. Cait rolled his magic dice and was hit back, the giant Mog he rode on bounded back to get him.

Tifa's heart stopped when she spotted Vincent firing away at the weapon, it didn't look to be working however. Why didn't he use Galian?

Tifa watched nervously as he jumped away from an attack just missing being slashed in half from Weapon's sword. "Vincent…" she softly whispered.

Cid had joined back into battle, just as he was going to light a stick of dynamite, Weapon let out a roar and flew away. The area was calm and still, all until the pilot yelled out, "You &^$#&$#! You trying to escape?"

They talk amongst each other more. Tifa was relieved that it was all over. She moved back over to Cloud checking up on him. As soon as she sat down the ground begun to rumble again, this time more violently.

"This is bad…" Tifa looked around to see boards beginning to crack under the stress. "Doctor, we need to move him somewhere else… this place…"

The doctor rounded the corner, "It might be safer to take refuge in a wide open space." He gathered some supplies along with the nurse.

Cloud lifted his head, almost like he was trying to gaze back at Tifa. She moved behind him and released the wheelchair break, "Don't you worry about a thing Cloud… I'll see to it that you get somewhere safe."

She begun to wheel him to the door, the doctor waved her on, "Come on! The structure can't take it! Hurry!" he ran out with the nurse not too far behind.

"We're leaving now Cloud! Hold on!" She pushed him out of the building on his wheelchair. Tifa gasped as she watched the ground begin to crack and push up, creating large crevasses. Tifa struggled as the ground lifted under her and Cloud, the weight of the wheelchair and the swordsman pushing her back some. Tifa dug her boots into the ground and continued to push; the stress of Cloud, Vincent and a few sleepless nights has had a toll on her body.

Tifa managed to move Cloud over one gap before it expanded, she sprinted to make the next one, but Lifestream hissed through pushing it too wide. Tifa stopped, trying to find someone… no not someone… Vincent to help her. He however was nowhere in sight. A portion of land that was under Cloud's chair crumbled into the crack. Tifa grabbed Clouds arm falling to her stomach.

"Cloud! Hold on!" she groaned.

He remained unresponsive and motionless. Tifa struggled to hold the dead weight but could feel her body being pulled. She closed her eyes afraid and soon fell into the black void.

"Wh… Where am I?" Tifa opened her eyes and saw the familiar black darkness surrounding her. There was nothing in sight. Standing she tries to feel around, "What's happening?" She realized that she fell with Cloud… Cloud! "Cloud?! Cloud where are you?!" The fighter had begun to hear the familiar static she once heard so long ago. "Huh? What? Who?" she turned around franticly, trying to pinpoint the sound, "Who is it? I can't… I can't hear."

'You betrayed me.' A female voice whispered out.

'You hurt me."

'You lied to me.'

The voices were unrecognizable, coming out from all directions

"Wait a minute!" Tifa yelled out to the darkness, "I… I don't know anything… what's going on?"

'You killed me…" one whispered

"If only you told him the truth, I would have never died. I would still be with him… The world would be safe." The voice added

"His sword would have never touched me."

Aeris….

Tifa's eyes watered, she nervously pulled the leather on her fighting gloves shaking her head, No… It… it wasn't me... I'd never do anything like that!"

'Admit it, if you were never there, I would have saved the planet. Cloud would have never met back with you. I would have found him, and I would have taken care of him.'

'You killed me!'

'You betrayed me!'

'You hurt me!'

'You lied to me… you lied to all of us!'

Tifa covered her ears with her hands, "No!" She turned around, trying to tune out the voices, however they kept repeating louder and louder,

"You killed me!

"Betrayed me!"

"Hurt me!"

"Lied!"

"Stop it!" she cried out, "Stay away!" She tried to run away from the voices.

"Somebody! Help! Please!" Tifa fell to her knees as the sounds became unbearably loud.

'You killed Aeris'

'You killed the Planet'

'All because of one lie'

'If you never were here, the world would be safe'

Inside Tifa's mind flashed visions of what would have been if she never found Cloud at the train station. Cloud would have found his way to Aeris, the two of them opened a flower shop. Barrett would have never gone through with bombing of the reactors. He had taken Marlene, Biggs, Wedge, and Jesse had moved to Cosmo Canyon. Red would have given a few blood samples and released, Hojo was found to be insane and put away. Cid would be tuning up the Tiny Bronco, he asked Shera to marry him. Yuffie had successfully brought honor to Wutai; it was no longer a tourist spot but a booming city. Cait was no longer needed by whom it was that controlled him. Vincent… he still laid in his coffin, asleep, he would have never known the fighter, he would have never felt that second betrayal.

Tifa shook her head free from the visions. She closed her eyes holding her head, "It's just a dream… it's just a dream."

"I'd say this is a nightmare."

Tifa's eyes opened to see Sephiroth before her. Still standing in the darkness, she could see him clearly.

The fighter raised her fists, trying to bite back the fear and torment rising within her.

Sephiroth strode closer, he slung his massive sword over his shoulder. With each step he took, Tifa's heart rate increased.

"Now… look at this dilemma you are in." the silver haired man grinned. "You are lost in a sea of pain, with no one to save you this time."

"You're wrong…" Tifa tried to hold herself steady. "Aeris… Cloud… Vincent will come for me!"

Sephiroth laughed, "And what makes you think that they will?"

"You ultimately killed me…"

Tifa turned around to see Aeris. Her face held a sneer.

"No! I didn't! Aeris please-"

"If it weren't for you, Cloud wouldn't be like this… and I would be still alive" Aeris turned her back now facing the fighter. "How could you Tifa… I thought we were friends… I even used my power to save you from your dreams."

"Aeris no! I didn't kill you, please…" The fighter shook her head, "This is just a dream."

"You lied to me…"

Tifa turned to her left to find Cloud, his arms folded, face filled with disgust.

"You lied… for what purpose? Why did you lead me on to think I was something… or rather someone?"

"Cloud, you are someone, you are my Cloud. Please!" Tifa pleaded.

Cloud scoffed, "Right… From what I know, I am just a puppet. Instead of cutting my strings setting me free… you used me."

"Cloud I didn't! You are not-"

"You had betrayed me…"

Tifa's knee's felt weak, turning to look behind she spotted Vincent.

"Vincent…"

"What excuse do you have for me?" his dark ember eyes were cold with hate.

"Vincent… I… I am so sorry. I am so torn inside, I just can't…"

"Poor, poor Tifa…" Sephiroth wrapped his arm around her shoulder clicking his tongue. "Seems like your saviors won't lift a finger to help you."

"No… This is just a dream… they…" Tifa felt frozen staring into Vincent's eyes.

"Right.. just a dream." Sephiroth's voice purred in her ear. He brought his sword from resting on his soldier forward. He ran the flat of the blade across Tifa's thighs before turning it and cutting them both just deep enough to draw blood.

Tifa screamed out, she tried to move away from Sephiroth however his hold on her tightened. "Stop it!" she cried out. "Vincent! Please help me!"

"And why should I?" The gunman folded his arms.

Sephiroth chuckled, running his sword against Tifa's stomach.

The closed her eyes tightly screaming out in pain. "Vincent, Cloud, Aeris! Someone please!" Tifa opened them to find the three of them standing before her, watching as Sephiroth cut her. "Why? Why are you just watching? Please! Help me!"

They sneered down at her, not showing one bit of concern for her.

"Aeris!" Tifa yelled out.

Sephiroth kicked Tifa's back, forcing her forward. He then thrust his blade into her shoulder.

"Gah!" Tifa struggled to move however was held down, Sephiroth stepped on her back pulling his blade roughly out. "Vincent!" she cried.

His eyes narrowed, a small smirk could be seen within them.

Sephiroth knelt down, he kneeled onto her back and gripped her hair with his free hand. Sephiroth held his blade against Tifa's neck.

"Gaia! Cloud! Help me!" Tifa screamed unable to take any more pain. Her world went black, finally passing out.

Tifa groaned getting up from her lying position. With her eyes still closed she reached for her neck. Her dream had felt so real.

Tifa got up and looked around. She first noticed a large see through Cloud was clutching his head in pain.

"Where am I?" Tifa looked around more.

She was in a large room with a green hue. She stood on an elevated platform that branched out to three paths, each one with a Cloud seated hunched over.

"What is this? Is this the inside of your dreams? Or is it… your… subconscious?" Tifa looked up to the giant Cloud, "You're searching aren't you Cloud… Searching for yourself…" The fighter looked around taking note of the familiar places scattered throughout. Tifa smiled sadly to herself, "I can help too. We'll work together to try and get the real you back." Tifa looked to the three directions, "But where do we start."

Tifa noticed Nibelheim to her right. She walked up to the hunched over Cloud and gently touched his shoulder.

"The gates of Nibelheim…" Cloud started, "Five years ago, Sephiroth passed through these gates… And… that's how it all started."

Tifa's brows gathered looking puzzled, "It connects… to Nibelheim?" When she first met Cloud back at the train station she remembered him saying it had been 5 years. Tifa nodded to Cloud, "That's right… It's probably best to start from there…" Tifa offered her hand out to Cloud, "Let's go have a look. I know it's not easy… but I'll be right with you." Tifa smiled.

Cloud took her hand and stepped into the town with her. Tifa looked around amazed he remembered every detail. She spotted the well and her smile grew. "Cloud, look! Here's the well." Not far up the street was a green rusted truck, "The only truck in town. It's been here since we were little kids. This is the Nibelheim you remember right?" She turned to look to her friend. "It is the same as my Nibelheim. That's why this place is… our Nibelheim."

Cloud vanished, Tifa looked around trying to find him. He soon appeared sitting on the truck.

Tifa intertwined her fingers behind her looking around. She noticed that Cloud was looking at the gate. Tifa sighed some understanding that he was trying to figure out what had happened those five years ago.

"Five years ago… two men from SOLDIER came… Sephiroth and… a young and vibrant soldier. Can you tell me again what happened?" Tifa looked to Cloud.

He nodded and focused.

Sephiroth soon appeared. "How does it feel?" the image started.

"Five years ago…" Tifa held herself remembering, "I saw the real Sephiroth for the very first time."

"It's your first time back to your hometown in a long time, right?" Sephiroth continued. "So how does it feel? I wouldn't know because I don't have a hometown."

Cloud spoke out next to Tifa, "Umm… how 'bout your parents?"

Tifa watched the scene, Sephiroth back then looked so much calmer than his current self, "So this is… the Great Sephiroth."

"My mother is Jenova. She died right after she gave birth to me. My father…"

Tifa closed her eyes, 'his father… he thought it was Hojo…'

She watched Sephiroth laugh, she remembered exactly what she thought of the swordsman so long ago, "But to tell you the truth, I thought he was very cold."

"What does it matter." Sephiroth's image continued, "All right, let's go."

He walked up and the image froze.

"I remember, I felt a foreboding about him." Tifa leaned closer to Cloud watching.

She watched as two soldiers in their cover approach, followed by Cloud. The Cloud on the truck got down and moved to stand next to his image.

Tifa would normally agree with his story, but it was time to reveal the truth, "No Cloud." She sighed, "I've been hiding it for some time, afraid that if I told you… something terrible might happen…" Tifa closed her eyes, 'I thought you would leave me'. "but I'm not going to hid anything anymore."

She opened her eyes to see that Sephiroth and the soldiers had disappeared. "You weren't here… Cloud did not come to Nibelheim five years ago…"

Tifa could feel her mind remembering back then. The image soon projected itself inside of Clouds subconscious. A younger version of Tifa sat next to the truck, her arms around her knees waiting patiently in her cowgirl outfit.

"I… waited. But, Cloud… never came. The two that were ordered here were Sephiroth and another person…"

Tifa watched her younger self get up, anxious to see who was arriving. When she noticed that it wasn't Cloud, she shakes her head disappointed and runs off to the mountains.

Sephiroth, the two soldiers, and Zack, a SOLDIER with jet black hair spiked back arrived.

"You mean that member of SOLDIER who came with Sephiroth wasn't… Cloud?" the image studied Zack.

"There's nothing I can say… you must find the answer yourself… If you can't.." Tifa sighed again, her image faded leaving Nibelheim empty. She noticed Cloud studying her features. Putting on a smile she approaches Cloud, "Take your time Cloud. Slowly… little by little, okay?"

Cloud nods and slowly sits back down. Tifa walked back and moved to the darker path. The stars scattered the sky, and lit a familiar well.

Tifa approached the Cloud seated by it, "That starry night at the well…. And our promise that night… What if the memory was just a lie?"

Tifa shook her head, "Don't hurry Cloud… Don't answer too quickly. Just keep checking all those small emotions and it'll come back… slowly but surely." She moved past Cloud looking to the large well, "Right… like the sky that night…" She looked up with a warm smile, "The heavens were filled with stars." She turned to Cloud, "From the beginning…. Ok? Try and remember Cloud."

Before her, a young Cloud and Tifa appear sitting on the well. Tifa laughed some at their younger selves. "Right, I was wearing these clothes. That's you too. You were so small then." Tifa moved to sit next to her younger self, her movements mimicking her younger self. "And also cute…" Tifa flushed some. She thought back on their travels, bringing up a leg to hold alongside her younger self.

"Sephiroth once said…" She started, "Cloud made up his memories by listening to my stories… Did you imagine this sky?" She looked over to Cloud, his face blank, "No… you remembered it. That night the stars were gorgeous. It was just Cloud and i… We talked at the well. That's why I continued to believe that you were the real Cloud. I still believe you are the Cloud from Nibelheim… But… You don't believe in yourself…" Tifa stood and moved back to the center, "These memories are not enough…"

Tifa looked back to the Cloud seated by the well vision, "Cloud… what about your other memories? No… no memories..." Tifa thought, "A memory is something that has to be consciously recalled, right? That's why sometimes it can be mistaken and a different thing. But it's different from a memory locked deep within your heart…" Tifa closed her eyes, "That's why it must be a fake. If he could recall up that memory…" Tifa's eyes shot open in revelation, "That's it! What about some memory that has to do with me? I say something and you don't remember it… but you say something and I remember it too. Then we'll know that's our memory."

Tifa approached the Well Cloud and took his hands into hers, "Talk to me. About anything, some important memory to you…" Tifa looked back at the younger Cloud and Tifa, it soon struck her that he left to become a SOLIDER, "why did you want to join SOLDIER in the first place?"

"I was devastated…. I wanted to be noticed…" the final Cloud spoke.

Tifa turned and slowly approached.

"I thought if I got strong, I could get someone to notice…." He continued.

Tifa swallowed some, "Someone to notice you? …who?"

"You…"

Tifa's cheeks flushed, "Me?... why?"

A small child version of Cloud appeared before Tifa could approach the last Cloud. He smiled shaking his head, "Tifa… did you forget… about those days?"

Tifa frowned some, "Look… I… I'm sorry, but what are you talking about? Those days?"

Young Cloud chuckled some, "No… It's all right. You were having a hard time back then. You were so busy with your own things. It's only natural you don't remember me back then.

"Back then?" Tifa said confused.

"It's important to me… I hate to say it but… it's a very important memory. Do you want to see it?"

Tifa nodded.

"Well come on! Hurry!" The small Cloud ran past the final Cloud. Tifa followed, stopping when the third Cloud slowly got up.

"A sealed secret… wish… tender memories… no one can ever know…" he softly spoke.

Tifa looked to the scene before her. She could see it was a house, however it looked awfully strange. As if it was a second floor placed into the ground. She could clearly see inside.

"Do you know where this window goes to, Tifa?"

The fighter bit her lip some trying to figure it out, she shakes her head.

"Fine… I'll go." The little Cloud takes Tifa's hand. They walk through the window to reveal Tifa's room back in Nibelheim.

"My room?" Tifa whispered confused.

"It was my first time here…" The third image appeared next to Tifa.

"Was… it?" Tifa turned surprised.

"I only used to look up at it from outside."

Three boys appeared surrounding Tifa who was seated in the corner holding her legs She looked so sad. The three of them talking to her younger self. She couldn't remember this day at all.

"Hey, look!" Tifa instantly recognized a young Johnny. "Cloud's coming!"

Tifa glanced out of the window to see the small boy running up.

"You think he wants to come in?" another boy asked.

Younger Tifa shook her head, burring it into her knees.

"Was that the first day you came into my room?" Tifa thought back, she finally remembered, the nostalgic feeling filling her. "that's right.. We lived next to each other. But I really didn't know you that well. I've known you since we were children and always thought we were close…" Tifa thought more, "Now that you mention it… I don't recall you ever being in my room…"

"Tifa always used to be with this three-some." The final Cloud spoke softly.

Tifa nodded looking to the boys, "That's right…"

"I used to think… they were all stupid." Cloud added.

Tifa turned to Cloud surprised, "What?"

"You were all childish, laughing at every little stupid thing."

Tifa smiled to Cloud, "But we were children back then…"

"I know… I'm the one that was stupid." Cloud sighed, "I really wanted to play with everyone, but I was never allowed into the group… Then later… I began to think I was different. That I was different from those immature kids. That then… Maybe…" Cloud looked out the window, Tifa too. "Just maybe they would invite me in. I thought that might happen so I hung around…" They watched the small Cloud outside run back home, "I was so prejudice. And… weak… but that night I called Tifa out to the well… I thought to myself Tifa would never come… that she hated me."

Tifa folded her arms, thinking of the emotions Cloud must have felt as a child, "Yeah… It was so sudden. I was.. a bit surprised but.." Tifa shook the thoughts and looked back to Cloud. "It's true that we weren't THAT close, but … After you left town…I.." Tifa smiled sheepishly, "I really thought about you a lot. I used to wonder how Cloud was doing… If Cloud was able to get into SOLDIER… I had started reading the newspapers, thinking that there might be an article about you."

Cloud smiled some, "Thanks, Tifa… Tell him what you told me later. He'll probably be so happy."

Tifa smiled in return, she looked back down to see herself in tears, the three boys trying to consol her. "Huh? Cloud… on this day… what happened?"

Cloud closed his eyes, "This was the day…"

In a rush, Tifa soon remembered. Her eyes watered and her body tingled. "The day mom died…"

The young Tifa gets to her feet, wiping her eyes she storms past the boys, "I want… to see… mom!"

Tifa followed, watching the memory she had forgotten long ago. She watched her younger self get to the base of Mt. Nibel.

"…I wonder.. if there's anything beyond that mountain?" Young Tifa held herself looking off to the distance.

She was so lost that day… She just wanted to get away from everything.

"Mt. Nibel is scare. Many people have died there. No one crosses that mountain alive!" Johnny told her.

"How 'bout those that died? Did… did mama pass through the mountains?" Young Tifa took a step, then another… she made her way down the rough path. "I'm going…"

The three boys watch her go. Two of the boys reluctantly followed her. Johnny nervously started but turned to run back, bashing into young Cloud. He gets up and makes for the village.

Young Cloud looks to Tifa and soon runs down the path to catch her.

Tifa reaches the bridge, the two other boys stop and run back. Cloud steps aside to let the boys pass and take off after Tifa. The area soon went white. Tifa and Cloud stood watching the scene come back. Young Tifa was on the ground unconscious, not too far from her was young Cloud.

"I don't remember the path I walked." Cloud spoke, "Tifa missed her step. I ran to her… but didn't make it in time. Both of us fell off the cliff. Back then, I only scarred my knees but…"

Tifa and Cloud watched as her father and another man run up to the pair. The other man gather's Tifa while her father stood over Cloud shaking his finger.

"Cloud! Why'd you bring Tifa to a place like this?" he scolded, "What the hell's the matter with you? What if she dies?"

They soon walked off leaving young Cloud behind.

"Tifa was in a coma for seven days." Cloud continued, "We all thought she wouldn't make it. If only I could've saved her… I was so angry… Angry at myself for my weakness. Ever since then, I felt Tifa blamed me.. I got out of control… I'd get into fights not even caring who it was.."

Tifa and Cloud watched the scene fade to black. She turned to Cloud.

"That was the first time I heard about Sephiroth…" Cloud took her hands into his, "If I got strong like Sephiroth, then everyone might…"

Tifa closed her eyes a brief moment and opened them to find herself standing back in the middle of Clouds subconscious. The Third Cloud back to his spot where he was seated. "If I could just get stronger… Then even Tifa would have to notice me."

"So that was it…" Tifa softly spoke, "I am sorry Cloud. If I had only remembered more clearly what happened, I could have done something sooner…"

"It's not your fault Tifa." Cloud smiled.

"But.. I remember back when we were eight!" She argued but then remembered… this was perfect, "That's it! Now I know! You weren't created five years ago. Your childhood memories weren't made up." She smiled and looked up to the large Cloud, "Hang in there Cloud… Just a little longer! You've almost found the real you!" Tifa looked behind her to see the Third Cloud was following her. She smiled taking his hand, "Let's go back to Nibelheim again."

He nods and they both run off past the first seated Cloud.

"The truth is right there. We almost have the answer right in the palm of our hands." Cloud smiles.

The run through Nibelheim, Tifa stops as they pass Cloud's house. He headed up to Mt. Nibel.

"Cloud wait, where are you going?" she questioned.

Cloud thought some, "The reactor? To the reactor! The Mako reactor of five years ago!"

Tifa nodded. They followed the path she had taken five years ago. They've entered the chamber where Jenova was held. They stood aside as Young Tifa dressed in her cowgirl outfit ran up wielding Sephiroth's sword. The silver haired man turned, taking his weapon back and slashing her across her chest. Tifa flies down the stairs nearly knocked out.

Tifa watched as Sephiroth entered Jenova's resting place and soon pulled her eyes away to see Zack enter. He gripped his large sword and took after Sephiroth.

"Cloud… do you remember?" Tifa asked.

"Za…Zac… Zack!" Cloud blinked surprised with himself.

"You remembered!" Tifa smiled happily, "That's right! It was Zack who came to Nibelheim with Sephiroth!" Cloud finally knew the truth, but these memories of his were just so vivid and real… "Cloud… where were you then?"

"I saw… Everything" Cloud smiled remembering.

Zack was suddenly pushed back, bloodied and losing consciousness. A regular soldier runs in and takes Zack's sword running up the steps to the Jenova chamber.

He stabs Sephiroth with the large blade. Tifa could hear them inside.

Sephiroth let out a scream and coughed, "Who… who are you?"

"Mom… Tifa… my town…" the voice was so familiar, he strained to stay composed however spoke through his teeth, "Give it back! Damnit I had so much respect for you! I admired you!"

Tifa's eyes went wide, "Cloud?!"

The soldier exited the Jenova chamber and removed his mask, using it to clean the blood from his hands. Tifa starred in shock, Cloud was there… he was one of the soldiers that went with the SOLDIER's. "That's what happened. You were there. You were watching me…"

Cloud nodded, "Yeah.. I remember… This is me… I... never made it as a member of SOLDIER. I even left my hometown telling everyone I was going to join but… I was so embarrassed. I didn't want to see anyone. So I hid myself when I was on that assignment to Nibelheim… I saw you and hid myself under that soldier mask… When Sephiroth went crazy and was burning the town, I was knocked out. Zack had checked on me and ran over to the Reactor… I overheard your martial arts master that you had followed your father up there. I had to get there."

The scene before them continued, past Cloud walked down the stairs and carefully lifted Tifa up.

Tifa's eyes watered. She reached and took Cloud's hand, "You came… you kept your promise. So you really did come when I was in trouble."

Cloud smiled and watched as his past self placed her safely to the side, "Sorry I didn't get there fast enough."

"It's all right." Tifa smiled back to Cloud.

Tifa watched as Sephiroth comes out of the chamber, sword in one hand, Jenova's head in the other. He limps down the stairs and leaves the main chamber.

"Cloud…" Zack groans, "Kill Sephiroth!"

Past Cloud nods and grabs the sword once more, he runs out to meet Sephiroth out where Tifa's father laid. "Sephiroth!" Cloud gritted his teeth angry.

"Don't… push… your luck!" Sephiroth stopped to turn and face Cloud. With unnatural speed he runs his blade through Cloud.

Tifa gasps as past Cloud drops his sword and grips the blade coughing up blood.

Past Cloud's eyes burned with rage. He planted his feat on firmly on the ground.

Sephiroth could feel his blade resisting, "It can't be!"

Past Cloud yelled out and turned. The swords man over the catwalk and now hanging facing his doom. Sephiroth's grip slips and he yells out falling into the Mako Pit below.

The scene fades and Cloud and Tifa return to the main area.

"Cloud…" his name softly leaves her lips.

"Then… this is goodbye Tifa. Until we meet again." Cloud smiles.

The two other Clouds get to their feet and meet in the center. One by one they join one another. The large Cloud shrinks and falls to the ground, seemingly asleep. The final Cloud joins, laying down. The swordsman glows a moment and soon he groans sitting up.

"Cloud?" Tifa kneels down.

Cloud sits back holding his head, "T-Tifa?"

"Cloud! It's really you… isn't it?" she smiles.

"Yeah." Cloud smiles to his friend, "Tifa.. we finally.. meet again."

Tifa wipes a stray tear of happiness away, "You stupid jerk!" she laughs, "You had us all worried sick!"

Cloud falls back clutching his head in pain.

"Ah! Cloud! What is it?" Tifa moved to try and help.

Cloud sits back up, "Voice… their.. voice.."

Tifa looks up and notices that they were no longer in Cloud's subconscious… "I see… we're… in the Lifestream aren't we. Everyone's waiting. Let's go back, Cloud… Back to everyone"

"Yeah… Let's go home." Cloud stands, he helps Tifa up and they begin to float. Tifa sighed in relief, Cloud wasn't mad at her, nor was he disappointed… instead he had sought her help to find himself. Just perhaps things were not as bad as her dreams made them to be. Tifa would have to be delusional to think that Aeris blamed her… and just perhaps one day… Vincent would forgive her.

The fighter smiles, holding to Cloud's hand tightly… as they ascend, her vision darkens.


	27. His Demon Awakens to Her

I am really sorry to not have updated. It seemed like everything was against me this week. I had been really, really sick this past week. After switching doctors they finally put me on some good medicine and i was out, slept a full day and half. I was just so tired. and not only that, but when i went to write... all my files were found to be corrupt. So i had to retype this chapter all over again. i am so sorry it is so short, i shall make it up next chapter.

**Numinous-Alqua-** ^^ I very much enjoyed writing it. Thank you so much for your dedicated reviews. And it could be Vincent behind that curtain, however we won't find out for sometime.

**xEuphoria- **Thank you for your review ^^ I also liked this part of the game. you get to find out just what happened in the past... many years later when Crisis Core came out you get the detailed version which you cant help but go back and play FFVII. The story of this series just always amazes me.

Thank you all again for your reviews and thank you to my readers.

MissTi

"Tifa! Yo Tifa are you alwright?"

'That sounds like Barrett…' Tifa stirred some. She felt like she should be floating, her body was so heavy.

"Tifa! Wake up!" Yuffie's voice came after.

"U.. ugh…" Tifa opened her eyes to see Barrett and Yuffie over her. The ninja girl looked like she had been crying. Propping herself up with her arms she coughed; her head was spinning and the sun was too bright. "Barrett? Yuffie? I…" Tifa collected her thoughts; she was on Mideel's beach, her and Cloud had been… "Cloud! Where is he?" Tifa looked around.

Barrett shifted himself some, Cloud had was sitting up coughing, Red and Cid assisting him. "Don't worry about him. He's a tough one."

Tifa's eyes watered, she bit back the pain of everything she witnessed in that darkness and in Clouds subconscious. "Barrett… I… When I was in the Lifestream I saw… And then I found Cloud, the real Cloud. And he found himself on his own."

Barrett smiled rubbing Tifa's back, "Alwright I know… I shouldn't have doubted him. But I can't win against you. You're some kinda lady."

Tifa nods, her world beginning to turn on her once more, "People have so many things pent up inside of themselves…" She lied back into the sand closing her eyes. "And they can forget so many things..." Tifa felt so tired… she wanted to be awake, however her mind wouldn't let her, "Strange… isn't it.."

"Yo, Tifa! Snap outta it!" She could hear Barrett yell before passing out.

Tifa awoke to find herself in her bed alone on the Highwind. The ship softly hummed telling her that they were in the air. She sighed and swung her legs around to sit up. Rubbing the sleep from herself Tifa got up and looked around. Her bag that she had packed to stay in Mideel was lying against the far wall. Tifa got up and moved to grab her showering supplies. She was happy to be back on the airship with everyone. And even more happier to have her Cloud back.

Opening the door carefully her happiness had faded. Before her was Vincent's room, his door was opened. The gunman was preoccupied cleaning what appeared to be a new revolver.

She froze when he looked to her from the corner of his eyes.

The both of them remained silent. Tifa felt sick to her stomach as he looked her over.

"It is good to see that you are well." Vincent turned back to continuing cleaning. His tone sounded forced, as if he had to say something to her.

Tifa frowned some nodding. She turned moving to the showers quickly. She sighed heavily and looked at her surroundings. There was a wall splitting the woman's showers from the men's. Curtains acted as the door to each shower stall. The wall doubled as a mirror to each side, a metal vanity ran across enabling Tifa to place her clothing down. She did so and turned on the hot water to the far stall in the women's section. Tifa turned looking to her reflections. Her skin had a small tan to it from staying in Mideel, her eyes looked tired and her hair felt coarse from the beach. Her lips were chapped and her nose had been burnt. Tifa leaned into the vanity, her eyes to he hands. Her nails were chipped and were dirty underneath. She had clear lines from where her gloves had been. With Cloud's state just a few days ago she had let herself go, in total disregard for her appearance. This shower was very much overdue.

Tifa stepped in, absorbing the shiver that ran throughout her body. She worked long on getting her hair silky and scrubbed at her skin. She lost all of her worries and thoughts.

After spending enough time in there she turned off the water. Wrapping a towel around herself she moved to gather her clothing to change, only to realize she had forgotten her underwear. Groaning and dreading walking back in a towel back to her room she hesitated a few minutes pacing. Her body dry but hair still soaked she peeked out of the shower room and looked both way's down the hall. Finding it clear she gathered her belongings and tiptoed cautiously to her room. She noticed that Vincent's door was shut.

With a smile on her face she moved to open her room. Her boots fell from her arms and she struggled to pick them up. She huffed and left the items on the floor and felt her towel become loose just as she opened her door.

"Hey there Teef having troubles?" Cid walked out of his room with a grin on his face.

Tifa gripped the towel and dropped the rest of her clothing trying to stretch the material to try and cover more of her body. "Ah! Cid! Go back into your room!" she yelled out.

"Aw come on it looks like you could use some help there. After all you did leave this in the hall." Cid dangled her bra on the tip of his finger.

Tifa flushed red and started to move her boots inside of her room with her foot. "Cid give that too me!"

"No, no, no, you are going to have to come over here and get it." He taunted.

The bra was ripped from his hand; Vincent strode over to Tifa and pushed her into her room.

She let out an Eep and stumbled in; she could hear Cid complaining to the gunman about being 'no fun'. She covered herself with her blanket and watched as Vincent gathered her things and moved them inside of the room.

"Ah… Thank you.." Tifa softly spoke.

Vincent glanced to Tifa and nodded some moving to leave.

"Vincent wait!" Tifa ran up grabbing his cloak to stop him. "Please… I am so sorry… you must understand what I am feeling right now… You were torn at one point… Right now I am. Please… Don't be angry with me."

Vincent let out a sigh and turned to look upon Tifa. Her eyes had begun to water. "Tifa… as much as I would like to forgive you, that is something I cannot do."

Tifa's eyes fell to the floor in defeat. He was really hurt by her actions, but he couldn't hold it against her forever right? She played with the fabric of the blanket, "What must I do? Please I would do anything for us to be friends again."

"That is easier said than done... You have roused the demons inside." The gunman folded his arms. He seemed so stiff, most likely feeling uncomfortable standing inside of her room while she wore nothing but a towel and blanket.

"Vincent…" her eyes met with his, "I love you… I love you for you." She needed to make it clear to him that she loved him for who he was, not what. And being a human herself she was succumbed to many different emotions and feelings to different people.

"But…" he expected.

"Yes… but I am also in love with Cloud… You must understand." She felt drawn to the both of them. Her long time love for Cloud had died down when he had chosen Aeris, but he needed her now, and a lot of those feelings have rekindled.

"Like I said… I understand." His voice was cold.

"I never meant for you to take me for the wrong way… you must believe me when I tell you that I would never, choose someone over another just because of what they are. Cloud was sick, and I could have helped him long ago before it had gotten to this point. This was my redemption… to help him."

Vincent's eyes softened some, Tifa smiled as she could see the icy stare melt.

"Please Vincent… I am not serious with Cloud… and you and I had… well we had something quite incredible happen. Let me sort through my emotions… Find out what is best for me."

Vincent's cold appearance had shattered before her. He embraced her taking in the scent of her hair. He soon however stepped back holding his head. It had sounded like he growled some.

"Vincent? Is everything alright?" Tifa watched confused as he slowly regained himself.

He shook his head stepping back against the wall. "Like I had said… the demons inside are not pleased with you. It will take time."

Tifa nodded biting her bottom lip. It was most likely Galian... The wolf like demon was quite taken by her and she had upset him.

"We are to meet in the conference room." He told her moving to the door.

Tifa nodded and smiled, she had gotten to Vincent at least... in time she would earn the trust of those he shared his body with. "Thank you Vincent…"

As soon as he left, Tifa made quick work of getting dressed and tying up her hair. She felt refreshed, no longer having to worry about avoiding her fellow party members, but now more comfortable to be true to herself. She locked up her room and moved down the hall giving Cid's door a good dent before rushing up to the meeting area. Inside everyone was already seated; Cloud was standing at the head of the large table. He smiled to Tifa and signaled her to sit down.

As soon as the room quieted down he had begun, "Everyone… I'm sorry. I don't know what to say…"

"Don't say anything Cloud" Red grinned, "All you've been doing is apologizing."

She smirked and sat down propping his elbows on the table, "I never was in SOLDIER. I made up the stories about what happened to me five years ago, about being in SOLDIER. I left my village looking for glory, but never made it in SOLDIER…" he scratched the back of his head, "I was so ashamed of being so weak; then I heard this story from my friend Zack… and I created an illusion of myself made up from what I had seen in my life. And I continued to play the charade as if it were true."

"Illusion huh?" Barrett folded his arms, "Pretty damn strong for a 'lusion, I'd say."

"Escape from a world of Illusions… hmph… I wonder which is better…" Vincent softly spoke

Cloud chuckled a bit with a nod, "I'm physically built like someone in SOLDIER. Hojo's plan to clone Sephiroth wasn't that difficult. It was just the same procedure they use when creating members of SOLDIER."

Tifa watched Cloud with a smile, he looked more sure of himself now. He looked more like the Cloud she knew back from her childhood… This was her Cloud.

"You see, someone in SOLDIER isn't simply exposed to Mako energy…" Cloud continued, "Their bodies are actually injected with Jenova cells… for better or worse, only the strong can enter SOLDIER. It has nothing to do with the Jenova Reunion. But weak people… like me, get lost in the whole thing. The combination of Jenova cells, Sephiroth's strong will, and my own weakness are what created me. Everyone knew that. I'm… Cloud, the master of my own illusionary world. But I can't remain trapped in an illusion anymore" Cloud stood up and clenched his fist before him, "I'm going to live my life without pretending."

Tifa giggled some shaking her head, "You're sure messed up Cloud."

Barrett shrugged, "That means there ain't no difference from before…"

Cloud grinned sheepishly scratching his head.

"So Cloud…" Cait tapped his furry fingers on the table, "What are you going to do now? Don't tell me you're going to leave the ship?"

Cloud winced some, "I'm…. the reason meteor is falling towards us…" His eyes shifted, looking determined, "That's why I have to do everything in my power to fight this thing."

Barrett jumped up, "Good! Then you're gonna keep fightin' to save the planet?!"

Cloud nodded, "It's like you always told me Barrett."

Barrett let out a loud laugh. Tifa too giggled while Cid woke up from a nap.

"I don't understand?" Red had felt left out.

"There ain't no getting' offa this train we on!" Cloud and Tifa spoke together sounding like Barrett.

"The train we on don't make no stops!" Barrett added.

"Well then let's go!" Cid get's up and runs back to check on his trainee.

Tifa dashes out and follows, moving to the bridge. She stands where she can overlook the land. As soon as Cloud moves onto the bridge Cait calls for everyone's attention.

"Alright, listen… right now just to keep everyone updated… We are right in the middle of the mission for Huge Materia. I know this is kinda outta the blue, but there's a underwater reactor at Junon. As far as I can see that's the only one left. That's that." Cait removed a paw from holding his ear like a reporter.

"C'mon Cloud. We're going to Junon!" Barrett was all pumped up and ready to go.

Cloud looked to Tifa with a unsure look. She gave him a smile, her heart beating slightly faster, "Let's do our best Cloud."

"I know how tough it is bein' a leader." Cid moved up and patted Cloud on the shoulder, "Because I've been one now… I always forget who has what materia."

Tifa gasped some looking to her belt. She found her materia had been missing. She moved to go back to her room in search for her powers, mostly for the gift Aeris had given her. Tifa searched throughout her room franticly. She emptied her bag, removed the little clothing she did have from her draws and searched her old gloves however they couldn't be found. Tifa knelt in the middle of the floor upset with herself. What if she lost them in the Lifestream?

"Human…"

The fighter turned to see Vincent standing in her doorway, his eyes brimmed with the black she once noticed not too long.

"Vincent?" Tifa stood looking to the gunman confused.

Vincent held out his clawed hand, within it was her materia, glowing softly.

Tifa sighed in relief she moved to the materia from his hand however he retracted it, the orbs grinding some in his grasp, "You don't deserve to hold the power of the planet…"

Tifa's brows drew together. She backed away some… the motion causing Vincent to enter, leaving the door slightly open.

"Who are you…" She asked nervous.

Vincent moved closer to Tifa, his brow raised as if he was examining her. He grabbed her chin with his human hand and moved her face side to side inspecting.

Tifa smacked away the hand, "What?! What the hell are you doing?" Tifa stepped back more. The room she had to keep away from him ran out. She was close to the wall.

"I wonder what they see in you… A pathetic… weak… mortal..." Vincent strode close once more.

"I am not pathetic or weak." The fighter glared. "Tell me who are you? You are not Galian."

Vincent didn't look too amused, "Pity that I have saved such a life… only to have one night and then to be done away with… You made him weak… with your bewitching words and body. However I won't allow my vessel to be around such…. Filth."

"If you don't go back to where you came from and bring Vincent out here… I swear-"

He strode closer still, forcing Tifa against the wall, "Will you swear to Gaia? Or will you swear to me" Vincent leaned close, so close that Tifa could feel his breath touch her lips. It was long and heavy making Tifa almost melt and cave in to steal a kiss... perhaps if it was Vincent she would have.

"V-Vincent?" The fighter tried once more to bring the gunman back. Tifa stared into those black filled eyes. Vincent leaned in closer, his lips just grazing over hers. She shuddered a breath closing her eyes. She didn't want this, but with the appearance of the gunman she couldn't help herself. Vincent's tongue slowly crept out and slowly licked Tifa'slips. She had to hold back a moan, her chest pressed against his hard body.

She could feel his hands running up and down her curves slowly.

"Will you swear your soul to me? Give yourself to only me?" Vincent moved to whisper into her ear, his voice heavy with lust.

"Vincent... This isn't you..." Tifa whispered back, "Please come back to me Vincent."

"You knew you would have to face us sooner or later human..." Vincent grinned, "So here i am... And i have the power to have Galian... let's say tolerate you once more."

Tifa's eyes widened some. Staring into those darkened orbs she felt a fear rise within her. "You... you can do that?"

Vincent chuckled some bringing his clawed hand to brush against Tifa's cheek. His lips lowered to brush against her neck, "I can do that and more... beg for me... be my slave and i shall make all your desires come true." his voice purred.

"Tifa? Vincent?" Cloud had opened the door and looked in surprised. "W-what... what's going on?"

Vincent stepped back from Tifa with a smirk on his face, his eyes were hungry for her. "Nothing... Just returning a borrowed item." Vincent handed Tifa her Materia.

Tifa looked down to her Cure and noticed that it had leveled up. Her brows drawn together she looked up to Vincent confused. Why... when he was so angry at her, why did he go out of his way to level this difficult materia. Her eyes moved from the small glowing orb back his darkened eyes. She looked past him to Cloud, he seemed uncomfortable, as if he had walked in on something... he might have if he was a came a few minutes later. Tifa flushed gripping the materia in her hand and smiling to Cloud, "Nothing! Vincent was just looking over my materia while i was with you in Mideel."

"It... it didnt look like nothing. Vincent... Tifa i know you both... have a history lets say..." Cloud folded his arms, his eyes bore into the back of Vincent's head.

"Cloud it isn't like that. I am not seeing anyone right now." Tifa sighed stepping away from Vincent. "I have explained that to Vincent and now i will tell you. Truthfully i am confused on what i feel for the both of you."

Cloud's eyes looked worried some. It wasn't the answer he wanted to hear. He wanted to be the only one in Tifa's heart. "Tifa..."

"Cloud... I have feelings for the both of you. And everything will sort it's way sooner or later. But for now, let's all just get along and stop Meteor and Sephiroth." Tifa smiled to her childhood friend.

Cloud thought on it a moment, and then smiled with a nod, "I can agree to that. Vincent?" They both turned to the caped man whose back was still turned to them.

"Of course..." Vincent grinned and turned to leave the room, "We wouldn't want chaos to happen." he brushed against Cloud as he left.

The blonde swordsman looked to Tifa worried. She shrugged and placed on a reassuring smile. "Don't worry Cloud. I am a tough girl."

Cloud let out a chuckle, "Yeah... you can handle your own. I just can't help but worry sometimes."

Tifa laughed some and moved to leave her room, "Let's go Cloud, we need to find-"

Her hand was suddenly grabbed. Tifa let out a surprised eep as she was pulled back. Cloud embraced her from behind, his spiked hair tickled her face as he nuzzled against her. "Tifa... I can't thank you enough for helping me find myself..."

"Cloud..." Tifa raised her hand to reach back and touch his face. "I... i had been so riddled with guilt... i should have told you long ago..."

"No... I am glad to have found it on my own." The swordsman embraced Tifa harder. He nuzzled into her neck and soon let go. "Let's go... we have materia to find before Shinra."

Tifa walked out of her room with Cloud. They had spotted a very sick Yuffie trying her best to make it to the Bridge. Cloud stopped and let Tifa move on as he helped the ninja with some motion sickness advice.

Walking into the Bridge Tifa spotted the pilot with a wide grin on his face. Cid stepped up to Tifa and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "Hey Teef, you know i ment no harm in back then."

Tifa smirked, her thoughts going back to his door that had met her fist. "Of course Cid..."

"Though..." Cid glanced around ensuring everyone was out of earshot. "Between you and me... you should buy something a bit more sexier, maybe a Red lace."

Tifa flushed and grabbed the fingers that rested on her shoulder. With a twist the pilot was writhing in pain, falling to his knees. Tifa's eyebrow twitched some as she let go of the pilot. "Behave yourself Cid or you may find yourself sharing the same dent in your head."

Cid nursed his hand looking confused, "Dent?"

Tifa couldn't help but put on an innocent smile, "Oh...well you see..." Tifa glanced down to her hand and cracked her knuckles, "A door labeled Cid had faced my wrath..." she grabbed the pilot by his jacket, "Don't touch my underwear again... alright?"

Cid nodded and pulled free of Tifa's grip. He fixed his appearance avoiding the stares from the other party members. With a whistle he passed Tifa pinching her behind and running off with a laugh.

Tifa flushed and took chase. "Cid you pervert!"

"You rusty there Teef! Those orbs slowing you down?" Cid jumped off the catwalk and dashed off to the mechanic room.

Tifa leaned over trying to spot the pilot but had lost him, with a huff she folded her arms over her chest and sighed.

"He has found some energy since you and Cloud had left."

Tifa turned to see Vincent standing just a few feet away from her.

"Vincent..." Tifa faced the gunman with a worried look. "Who... who was that earlier..."

Vincent didn't answer her for some time. He then sighed moving to lean against the catwalk rail. "It's a demon... far more powerful than Galian... It is called Chaos."

Tifa stepped closer curious, "Chaos?"

"Chaos... it is a demon Lucrecia had found... I am not sure where or when, but it was before i was to work for her. The demon... from what i heard from stories as a child... was made out of all the negative thoughts and bad dreams. Chaos is quite like the grim reaper of most common stories... a harbinger of death who will come during destruction... He has been dormant in my body for a longtime... however with the planet's death imminent, he has awaken."

"I was told a story like that a long time ago... about a mon-... demon that would guide those who have passed to the life stream, taking the bad from the good and adding them to its strength." Tifa scratched at her neck nervous.

"You were right... it is a monster. Meteor and the negative thoughts of everyone on this planet are strengthening him..." Vincent turned and grabbed Tifa's shoulder's turning her to face him. "I don't want you alone with him... never... I have seen his thoughts... You and Galian... you both have acquired a strange trust back then... you cannot do that with Chaos..."

Tifa slowly nodded, not quite understanding. "A-Alright Vincent... Don't worry." She smiled some.

Vincent nodded back and turned making his way back to the bridge.

Tifa held herself thinking back with her encounter with Chaos... She wondered what the demon looked like, but then recalled that it had already saved her life once. Her life had been in danger so many times, she couldn't recall just when Chaos had shown itself to her.

"See." Tifa turned to see Cloud helping Tifa to the bridge, the ninja looked less green, "just keep working on it and you wont get sick anymore."

Tifa smiled and moved to help Cloud with Yuffie, her thoughts continued on Vincent.


	28. To Love You and Your Demons

Happy Weekend everyone!

I was so disappointed with the last chapter that i had to make it up to everyone and myself. So here i present this chapter. I will say that this is one of my favorites... it is amazing what exercise, taking the right medicines, and finally able to get some sleep will do to you. ^^

This is a short chapter... most likely my shortest however... I promise it's a good one.

**X Euphoria: ** Thank you so much for your review ^^ I always imagined Cid to pick on the other characters... when he isn't sleeping of course. And there will be plenty more of Chaos to come in the future.

**Numinous-Alqua:** I am glad you like my version of Chaos ^^ I promise there will be more for him, and Galian to show Tifa just what they are obsessed with. As always, thank you for your devoted review!

Warning! There is mature content in this chapter... don't like? Then you don't have to read.

I thank everyone for taking the time to read this story.

Enjoy ~Miss Ti

"Tifa, Yuffie and I will go ahead and try to get the Huge Materia before they take off with it…"

Cloud briefed everyone while they laid hidden in Junon. Bribing their way down was easy enough, most of the Shinra soldiers didn't seem to keen on staying with the corporation any longer. "Cid, you take Barrett and Vincent and try go around the other way… since we are not sure where the huge materia is… Red, you take Cait and get to the security room… contact us by PHS as soon as you spot anything."

"Right laddie!" Cait jumped onto Red's back and they dashed off.

Tifa folded her arms and glanced over at Vincent before turning to follow Cloud. Since the confrontation earlier they rarely had time to be alone with one another. Cloud was really protective since he had walked in on her…. Conversation with the demon called Chaos.

The fighter shivered some remembering just what happened between them… she feared him and also desired more. To be speaking with these demons while holding his handsome appearance was making her weak and harder for her not to succumb to their advances.

Pulling herself from her thoughts, Tifa found herself to be on an elevator, going down to the underwater reactor. She sighed and looked to Cloud, studying his profile.

His face was a lot softer than Vincent's, it held so much emotion to it. He wasn't hidden behind a mask and he seemed to shine with life. The fighter shook her head focusing on the mission on hand. They needed to get the Huge Materia fast. Tifa focused on the door in front of her, awaiting for it to open to an ambush that most likely awaited. If Red and Cait had done their job to clear the security then it should be an easy in and out… however no call had come.

Just as she had finished adjusting her fighting gloves, the door opened to several soldiers with their weapons raised. Cloud immediately held his large sword out blocking the bullets to its best ability. Tifa hugged the side cringing as bullet's ricocheted off the weapon and pelted around her. Yuffie done the same yelling out for Cloud to stop.

The swordsman panicked some and sprinted forward, quickly taking out the soldiers. Tifa checked herself over then moved to Cloud and Yuffie. Cloud had managed a few wounds but they were easily cleared up with a quick cure.

"Let's move… We don't have much time" Cloud ran off down the hallway, knowing where to go.

Tifa looked around her, the air smelt heavy with salt and metal. They dashed through many different odd machines, each one most likely serving Shinra's dark purpose.

Cloud stopped abruptly looking through one of the safeguard windows. In the center was a large deep blue crystal.

Tifa awed at the site of the Huge materia, it was nothing like the palm sized orb that she used to. It held a strange deep glow that was absolutely mesmerizing.

Yuffie tapped the glass, "Hey… a crane game!"

Tifa looked to where the ninja girl had been pointing and saw a large metal crane come in to gently pick up the materia.

"Let's follow it!" Cloud walked along the wall, never keeping his eyes off the materia. It moved out of their site and into the next room.

Tifa noticed a sign that led them to the docks, after entering she could see submarines lined up, a few packed and ready to go. The crane reappeared and moved to one of the submarines, "They're gonna take it on that submarine!" She pointed out.

"Not if we can help it" Cloud readied his weapon and took off, the girls following close behind. They cautiously dodged some dock workers, hiding behind crates.

"Let's take that ship… the one the materia is on." Cloud whispered.

Yuffie and Tifa both nodded, awaiting the right moment to sprint to their destination, just 20 feet away.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" a familiar voice called out.

Tifa froze some turning to see fire red hair approach them, "Help load…. Cloud?" Reno stepped back eyes wide on the three of them. She observed as he looked on confused to exactly why the three of them, especially Tifa without her cloaked bodyguard was in Junon's underwater Reactor.

Yuffie rolled her eyes standing straight, their cover blown she was more than ready for a fight, "You want me to do manual labor?" she grinned flipping her short hair back.

Tifa held up her fists, ready to fight. Reno glanced to her and smirked giving her a flirty wink. Always the same with him no matter the situation at hand.

"Either give us the Huge Materia or else… Which is it going to be?" Cloud glared at the Turk after seeing the wink towards the fighter.

Reno sighed scratching the back of his head with his nightstick, "Unfortunately, I don't have time to deal with you. My priority is the materia." He steps back away from the group and closer to the submarine that the materia was being loaded in.

"Don't run off!" Cloud charged but was stopped when a large robot fell from above.

Cloud jumped back with a small growl as Reno left sticking his tongue out.

"Damnit! We don't have time for this!" Cloud swung his blade above him and charged the robot.

It sparked, sending electricity directly towards the swordsman.

Tifa watched as Cloud jumped back, shocked… did his hair spike more? She quickly equipped her lightning 2 materia into her defensive slot and ran past Cloud. Her fist landed on the metal armor with little effect. She could feel a small bite of shock at each contact but it was bearable.

Yuffie threw her weapon, it bounced off leaving a scratch.

"We need to beat this thing and fast!" Cloud yelled out to the two girls. He had begun to charge his fire 2.

"We're trying! Geeze we can't injure it!" Yuffie yelled back catching her weapon.

Tifa jumped back as she felt the flame of fire lick her cheek. "Ah! Cloud! Little warning?" She watched as the fire spell consumed a portion of the robot.

Cloud concentrated on casting his spell on the robot. Its arm melted, wielding to the rest of the body. It raised its other arm, containing a machine gun much like Barrett's and begun to fire upon the group. Tifa ducked behind a crate, but was too slow; bullets riddled her legs. She cried out at the shock of pain and held her knees close. The crate she hid behind her wasn't bulletproof, shots riddled around her, just missing her.

"Tifa!" Cloud yelled, he had Yuffie in his arm, the two of them crouched together. His sword doing its best to block the fire of bullets.

Tifa closed her eyes tightly and covered her head with her hands hoping that the robot would soon run out of its ammo. She could hear it approach slowly, its heavy body clunking with each step.

"Gaia help!" Tifa whispered to herself.

"Hold on guys!"

Tifa opened her eyes at the sound of Cid's voice and gunfire. Moving slowly and trying not to cause more pain to herself she peeked from behind the bullet riddled crate. She watched as Vincent and Barrett took turns jumping and running around to fire at its vulnerable back. Cid readied some grenades and wedged them at the neck of the monster.

"See? Cait was right… Gernades are helpful!" Yuffie yelled grabbing Cloud and moving him behind cover.

Cid and Barrett hid together while Vincent ducked behind the crate Tifa was at. His eyes widened some at the state of her legs. He took the fighter into his arms and shielded her from the explosion. He searched through a pocket in his cloak for a x-potion but could find none.

"Do you have strength to cure yourself?" he spoke to her.

Tifa's eyes didn't leave Vincent's as metal scraps rained down around them. She nodded some and begun to cast the magic.

"Damn!" Cloud cursed coming out of his barricade.

Reno was successful in launching the submarine containing the Huge Materia. They were now in the sea, fleeing from the group.

"The huge materia! It's gone?" The ninja looked to Cloud.

"We need to go after it!" Tifa interrupted her cast to try and get up.

Vincent held her down, taking her materia to cast the cure spell.

"Hold on to your horses Teef, you ain't going anywhere in that state." Cid took out a cigarette and placed it between his lips.

"There is one way to get to the huge materia…" Vincent looked to Cloud and glanced over to a docked submarine that gently hummed to life.

"Right!" Cloud ran to the ship with the others.

Tifa moved to get up and follow however Vincent once again placed his hand on her shoulders. The fighter flushed looking back to Vincent as he concentrated on casting cure. She heard the submarine starting to leave and panicked some, "Vincent… it's leaving!"

Vincent's eyes seemed to sparkle some with amusement, "So it is…"

A smile had grew on Tifa's lips, she laughed some and could have sworn that she heard him chuckle.

Cait and Red soon ran up to the both of them. "Hey! Where are the others?" the stuffed toy huffed as if he was using energy to move.

"They went after the Huge Materia." Vincent watched the green glow from Cure wash over Tifa's legs.

"Good, that ensures that Shinra will not use the Materia for the wrong purpose." Red smirked.

"They still have one more" Cait held his paw up to his ear as if he was a news reporter. "I will find out where it is going… for now it's in their hands."

"We should get out of here…" Tifa looked around, "We don't need to run into any more Shinra." She smiled and got up on weak legs.

The others nodded and carefully made their way out of Junon together. Tifa couldn't help but feel happier while with Vincent. She thought back on the recent grouping with just Cloud and it felt so… busy. Around Vincent she felt very much at peace, even with his demons around.

"Tifa?"

Her thoughts were drawn away from the gunman to Red, "Ah… Yes?" She flushed some.

"Are you feeling well?" He grinned knowingly. The lion creature was young according to his grandfather, but wise. He was quiet and watched the group, it must have amused him.

Tifa rolled her eyes with a smile and ruffled his mane. She hadn't talked with the lion creature for some time, actually… since Aeris had left.

"I can see that you are quite conflicted at the moment." He padded next to the fighter.

Tifa let out a nod. She figured that the gunman was far enough not to overhear. "You could say that."

Red let out a chuckle and shook his head, "You're response tells me different now… You have a choice. Perhaps you just do not want to see anyone upset?"

Tifa thought about it, she really enjoyed being with Cloud, and thinking of being romantic with him made her inner child shriek with joy, however those were childhood dreams… hand holding and secret kisses were in the past. Vincent had made her feel like a woman. The way he caressed her and tenderly worshiped her body with those soft lips made her heart beat faster and face heated. "I think that is it… I feel like I just can't let go."

"It may hurt… for the both of you for a while, however in time… all pain heals." Red smiled. He spoke true and he also spoke in general... He wasn't telling her what choice to make... only that the choice the fighter did make would effect either man the same way.

Tifa reflected on his words…. Pain does heal in all shapes and forms. She smiled and knelt down to embrace her friend, "You are right… Thank you."

Standing tall she noticed that they were not far from the airship. Cait and Vincent had already entered the Highwind, Red leapt in and Tifa followed climbing over the railing. She looked up to the metal above her as if she could see Vincent and smiled. "Red… You are a good friend." She giggled some and entered to find the one that made her feel wonderful. If his demons didn't like her, then she would do her best to get their approval… not that it was needed. She wanted the gunman for who he was, and nothing was going to stop her.

Tifa approached the rooms and stood before Vincent's. She raised a nervous hand to knock on it, but it opened before she could do the action.

Vincent looked down at her with those red eyes… just filled with emotion. He was confused at why she was there and yet he felt relief as if he had expected her.

"Tifa..." he greeted her.

Tifa wanted to melt to his deep voice. "Hi…" She smiled nervously. Her stomach was doing flips and her legs felt numb. She swayed some about to fall over but quickly regained her balance.

"Would you like to come in?" he stepped aside watching her.

The fighter felt a chill run up her spine, as she stepped in she couldn't help but inhale his scent; Gunpowder and leather. She looked around in his room and took in again his décor. His guns littered the shelves along with boxes of ammo. He had added a few bottles of whiskey and even pinned their rollercoaster photo up. Tifa couldn't help but smile at both of the faces.

Tifa turned back to Vincent as he closed the door. Her cheeks reddened, her thoughts wondered to the both of them on her bed just over a week ago. "Vincent… I…" She started nervously.

He tilted his head some intrigued with her.

"You are the one Vincent… I feel strongly for you." She forced herself to say. "I know it hasn't been long but I just can't stop thinking about you, thinking of you. I miss you when you are away and I just can't help but be drawn to you."

He strode over to her, closing the short distance so he could gently touch her cheek with the back of his fingers. His eyes reflected to her desire and lust. She would give it to him, she would give herself and more to this man before her. Her eyelids closed and she moved into his touch, absorbing the warmth of his human hand.

His lips came down and gently touched hers. She gasped some and leaned into him, however he drew back, resisting a deepened kiss. The fighter could feel him smirk against her.

She groaned some leaning forward again to crash her lips onto him but he had stopped her. She was pushed back by his metal claw, closer to his bed.

"Vincent..." Tifa stared into his red eyes trying her best to read him. She couldn't help but think what goes on inside his mind. What is it that his demons do while he is in control? Do they constantly haunt him? Had he learned to ignore it?

He raises a hand to have his fingertips gently brush Tifa's cheek again. She let a small gasp escape from her lips, the feeling of electricity coursing through her body. Every sensual touch he gave her filled her with such emotion, with such need.

"Sit..." He commanded her.

She nodded, sitting herself on the edge of his bed. He knelt before her and brushed her hair away from her face with his warm human hand. His metal gauntlet rested on her knee, she could feel the metal limb softly raking her skin.

Tifa watched him look her over; the bullet wounds healed along others that she might have received.

He then raised her leg, placing a kiss upon every small shiny scar that would slowly disappear with time. His lips felt like fire on her skin, she let out a small moan as he moved up her leg. She leaned back, her head resting against the wall and continued to watch him place those tender kisses upon her other leg. Her face flushed as he placed a loving kiss in between her thigh. She couldn't help but look away in embarrassment at the action, though it felt so good. He removed his cloak and kneeled on the bed, his knee between her legs. He placed his claw hand behind her head, tangling it within her tresses and pulling her closer to gently place his lips upon hers once more.

Her brows furrowed with want and need. She couldn't help but wonder why he was playing with her, getting her wilder and hotter for him.

"Vincent please…" She whispered.

"Please what?" he whispered back.

"Please kiss me." She breathed heavily.

He complied, taking her lips and mouth tenderly… lovingly.

She moaned into him, her tongue dancing with his, he tasted a small hit of the whiskey, it had a wonderful flavor.

His hand roamed her body, raising her and pulling her into his leg. Tifa broke the kiss panting and grinding into him full of raw lust. He nipped at her neck, pulling her head back by her hair gently to get better access.

"Vincent…" his name was whispered from the fighter's lips. She continued to move her hips against him, a hot feeling was raising below her stomach, a feeling of want.

"Yes?" he whispered back to her, his voice was huskier.

She raised her hips, trying to grind against his groin, however he had stopped her. "Please…" she whimpered.

"Please what?" he teased her further.

"Please… take me." She moaned out grinding against his leg. She needed to be filled.

He panted, enjoying her begging, his eyes locked onto hers. The red orbs revealed as much desire and want as hers. He was not only teasing the fighter, he was also teasing himself. He was cruel to the both of them.

He quickly laid her on the bed correctly and unzipped his pants; he released his member from the leather constraint and spread her legs positioning himself.

His claw made quick work tearing the fighter's underwear. He positioned himself before her wet entrance, but before he could trust into her he jumped back groaning and holding his head in pain.

Tifa sat up worried for the gunman, "Galian…" She knew what was stopping him… To let it go this far however was too cruel. "Please Galian… what would it take for you to trust me again?" her heart ached as she watched Vincent suffer in pain.

Vincent suddenly stopped, his eyes opened, "Give yourself to me…" Those yellow piercing eyes gazed upon her heated form.

Tifa winced some nervous of the demon. He inched closer to her, staring down at her like a piece of meat. She did her best to cover herself in front of the demon controlling Vincent's body with a blanket, however it was quickly snatched away and thrown across the small room.

"Vincent…" Tifa looked into those yellow orbs hoping to find the man she loved behind them.

"Say my name human..." he growled slowly moving onto the bed above her.

Tifa bit her lip slightly afraid. She closed her eyes fighting with herself on whether or not she should give herself to the demon ready to take her. She opened her chocolate orbs and looked into his golden ones. "Galian..." She whispered.

Galian growled softly and used the metal gauntlet to rid Tifa of her shirt. Pulling the shredded material from her body he groped her chest with his human hand. Purring, pleased with her body.

Tifa bit her bottom lip trying her best to not enjoy the sensation, but it was Vincent's face... his hands touching. Leaning down, he bit at the elastic at the bottom of the sports bra and pulled higher upon her chest, her breast now free from its constraint. "Vincent..." Tifa couldn't help but moan.

Galian growled now using the claw to tear the article of clothing in half. He raked his claw over her chest, the points of his gauntlet's fingers finding their way over the peak of her perked buds.

Tifa shuddered at the touch and tried to squirm away, but was held in place by the controlled gunman.

The wolf like demon in control brought his lips to nip at her buds. She let Vincent's name escape from her lips again, and he had punished her by nipping at her peak hard, causing the fighter to scream out in pain.

He chuckled moving to give his attention to her other breast, teasing and nipping at the bud. Tifa couldn't help but arch her back in response. Her hips raised and made contact with the demon's erection.

Galian moved on, not being able to bear seeing her squirm any longer. He turned the fighter around on her hands and knees.

Tifa grew nervous, with the new position she felt embarrassed, but anxious. She couldn't see him.

She could hear him growl and soon a furry arm supported itself in front of her. Her eyes grew wide, realizing that Galian had transformed into its true form. She shook scared at what would happen, was it too late for her to escape? Tifa could feel Galian's metal chest emblem on her back, he growled softly into her ear and nuzzled against her neck. She closed her eyes tightly, preparing herself.

He had entered her slowly, being gentle at first, enjoying the tightness of the mate Vincent had chosen, the woman that he would now share until her life's end. Galian begun to thrust into his vessel's human at a faster pace.

Tifa involuntary begun to moan, she didn't want to due to the fact that he knew that the demon would enjoy it all too much. She could feel her hair gather in the metal claw, her hair was pulled to the side, allowing Galian to lick at her shoulder and neck. His thrusts became faster and harder, her chest bounced with each push. The fighter had begun to lose strength as he continued to thrust into her. Her arms collapsed; Galian let out a chuckle as he continued to take the woman under him. He enjoyed the taste of her skin and desired her scent. His eyes never left her beautiful form.

Tifa could feel herself become close to her her end, her core clenched around the demon. Galian panted, the fighter becoming too much to handle he growled before letting out a howl, releasing himself within her.

At the feel of his seed entering her, Tifa let out a lustful scream. She exploded, her climax joining his.

Tifa could hear the demon behind her catch its breath. She was flipped over and was looked over with sorrow filled red eyes. "Tifa..." Vincent winced.

Tifa smiled, reaching to gently caress the wolf like face Vincent held for the moment. "Vincent..."

"Why Tifa..." he whispered.

"If it means being with you... i will need to learn to be with all of you. Those demons... they are a part of you. I love all of you Vincent." she wrapped both arms around his neck and pulled herself up into an embrace.

"Tifa..." She could feel him smile against her neck.

Tifa continued to embrace Vincent as he transformed into his human self again. She giggled some feeling him shift to get into a more comfortable position next to the fighter. Absorbed into his warm embrace she closed her eyes and sighed happily. Knowing that she had made the right choice.


End file.
